Entwined Destinies
by Bern
Summary: SessKag How does a modern teen cope in the Sengoku Jidai with a very reluctant demon lord as protector? Sess doesn't like mysterious human girls with too much power on their hands but she may just be the one to break Tessaiga's seal...
1. Foreword & Glossary

Updated as of October 2003

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Disclaimers: I don't own, nor will own anything of exceptional value regarding Inuyasha. And by this, I mean Sesshoumaru and his furry boa. I couldn't care less about the rest. 

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Foreword: I would like to thank Shikome kido mi-san for bringing up an important point regarding the two blades wielded in the Inuyasha universe – Tessaiga and Tenseiga. And since this point came up, I have taken it upon myself to present a glossary of terms that will crop up fairly frequently throughout this fic. And seeing as how incredibly lazy I can get (as well as being thoroughly ambivalent) with regards to my readers being aware of the Japanese terminology use, I've opted to stick it right in the front so that everybody can see it whenever they enter the site. I won't be pasting their meanings anywhere else in the fic, so you might want to start a crash course in Inuyasha 'slang'.

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Glossary: All the vocabulary you need to know to follow the story. It will never be repeated beyond this page because I don't want to. 

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Tessaiga – Most of the time fanfic writers tend to spell / call it Tetsusaiga. I'm assuming that this is due to the Kanji "tetsu" meaning 'iron'. I've checked my resources [_namely by watching and listening to numerous episodes of Inuyasha and from that invaluable original full-Japanese tome the Inuyasha Illustration Collection; I don't own the manga although the Art book has some of the colour manga pages_] and discovered that the spelling of the blade is** Te-_[tsu]_-sa-i-ga**.

Here the **_[tsu]_** is written small (_I can't recall the 'proper' grammatical term for it, I think of it as a small 'hiccup' in the writing of the word_). Thus, the romaji is Te-**_s_**-sa-i-ga. I've also asked around and the fact is that due to the print limitations, the [tsu] is reduced only marginally - thus accounting for the apparent **'tsu'**. And after getting a hold of the Viz translated book, I can't vouch for the English spelling of the sword's name as someone over there has to go back to Japanese class 101. This is why one must note the Furigana by the side.

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To present a more technical explanation:

Usually, when a Kanji ends on "tsu" and the following Kanji starts with a "**t**", "**s**", "**h**", "**p**" or a "**k**", the **'tsu'** gets small and the word is then pronounced with the double consonant.

This holds true for 95% of the words although there are probably a few exemptions when it comes to names.

But as this is not an "official" word, both pronunciations are possible. It would depend whether you want a strong link between "**tetsu**"+"**sai**". 

In this case it would be "Te[**s**]sai-ga" i.e.: "Iron Smashing Claw" -- Or if you want a soft link between the two, then it would become "Tetsu-saiga" i.e.: "Smashing claw of iron". 

In this case, I believe it to be the stronger, as it is more in keeping with the sword's name. Besides, either listen closely to Sesshoumaru's pronunciation or watch a fan-sub episode to note the spelling to get a more accurate interpretation.

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**FYI: Sesshoumaru's name written in Hiragana also bears the small **_[tsu_]**; that is why it's generally spelled Se-**_s_**-sho-ma-ru. Again, it follows in line with the grammar - and "**se[tsu]sho**" is also a legitimate word meaning 'killing; destruction of life'. The last part "**maru**" means [n] (1) circle; (2) full (month); (3) perfection; purity; (4) suffix for ship names; (P). But I'm betting on it being (3) perfection; purity.

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Tenseiga – The sword bequeathed to Sess by his late father, Inutaisho. It is also Sess' Guardian sword although he refuses to acknowledge it's true worth. Its twin is **Tessaiga**; the slaying sword. Its power is to resurrect the dead and of healing when wielded with compassionate intention. Only goes to show how 'popular' it is with our dear 'heart of gold' Sess. *_giggles_*

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Dokkasou – Sess' ultimate poison attack. The literally translated name is Toxic Flower Claw [which makes me cringe in its utter wussiness]. In his humanoid form, Sess's right hand glows green as a prelude to attack and the poison literally drips from his fingertips. It is capable of melting almost anything and forms a toxic killing gas when it touches the air. 

From the anime, he's seen to spray it in the direction of Kagome and causing her to be buried under the poisonous melted goo. However, in his true dog form it simply drips from his jaws. Needless to say, I wouldn't want doggy-boy to lick me then. I'll be using it depending on the situation it calls for.

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Youkai – Simply means 'demon'. Had a blasted headache trying to figure out whether to use youkai for the 'bad' ones, and substituting 'demon' for the 'good' guys. Finally Sess told me in no uncertain terms that he is an **_inu_** (tai)youkai and so I put 'youkai' as the default. **Inu** means 'dog', while **tai **indicates of a higher or more powerful form [Just right for Sess, eh?] 

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And just FYI – youkai are spelled similar to sheep or deer in its plural form. I've also realised that it is not correct to add the 's' at the end of Japanese terms. The word if used in its original format as it is should remain untouched, regardless of the number of persons, objects or things it may refer to. 

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Youki – It's very different from "_jaki_"(see below). It's kind of like the **'ki'** or 'life energy' in humans, only it's applicable to youkai. Sess appears to have the ability to manipulate his to form that cool cloud transport. If you've seen the anime, whenever he does that, his boa-thing suddenly grows and waves about giving the impression that it has multiplied. Kinda weird in my opinion but then again, it's Sess. I also think that is what consists of his whip-like weapon too.

But if it's utter crap, you may correct me; but if nobody knows, then accept it as "Bern's fic truth". 

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Jaki – The dark energy Naraku is famous for possessing. Usually sensed and seen in the form of a palpable black cloud. Some translations have called it 'miasma'. Cool sounding but not everybody may get it. That guy is either a walking environmental hazard or he really needs to do something about that BO. Either way, it's lethal stuff. However, it's usually mentioned only when it's scented in the air by youkai due to their sensitive sense of smell. Similar to when Sess' poison touches the air, it too gives off toxic fumes and capable of killing people and youkai. Sometimes, the word '**Shouki**' comes into use but I'm unclear on that. I'll leave it as 'jaki' to minimise confusion (for myself as well as for my readers)

Again, I'm open for correction if I'm wrong; or "Bern's fic truth" will automatically apply.

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Sengoku Jidai – The Feudal Era or the Warring States Period of Japan. If I'm not off by a couple of centuries, this was just prior to the beginning of the unification of the country by Oda Nobunaga, and later consolidated under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Needless to say, it was a time of conflict and a major party time for youkai everywhere - death, torture, the whole bloody gig.

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Miko - Priestess. Usually dressed in a red and white ensemble to denote her status. In this world, they are trained to use the bow and arrow as a means of protection. The other subtle meaning behind it is that it implies beauty and grace - something most miko generally possess.

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Kazaana – Miroku's Air Rip / Void. Personally, I think its cool to use the original names for the various weapons, armour, etc. Heck, if I could write in Japanese I'd be one happy camper. 

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Houshi-sama – Sango's means of addressing the Buddhist priest Miroku. It allows a degree of respect on her part and also prevents her from getting a little too close to the guy. Personally, it's an irony given the individual it refers to.

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Hiraikotsu – Sango's super 6-foot long bone boomerang capable of mass destruction and general assault. Also known as the 'Hentai Hitter'. Just ask Miroku…

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Nintoujou – Jaken's 2-foot-tall cackling / shrieking-cum-fire-spewing two-headed staff. A pretty nifty weapon to wield when you're barely a foot tall. Hmm, now what's that thing about it being Freudian?

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Just a point of interest - Viz has translated it to Jintojo. Now, this has definitely confirmed my opinion that someone needs to memorise his basic Hiragana. I cross-referenced it in my book and the Furigana used is 'ni' as opposed to 'ji'+'n'. I know that the Kanji can be read in more than one way - that's why check out the Furigana and not presume just because you think you know better.

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Shikon no Tama _aka_ **The Shikon** - If you don't know this one, why are you even reading an Inuyasha fic? Its English translation is The Jewel of the Four Souls or the somewhat strange, The Ball of Four Souls. Now you see why I prefer the Japanese version? It'll take me an extra week just to type out the chapter if I had to spell that one out.

That's all I can think of for now. This page may be updated as the story progresses so look out for it now and then.

I have to inform you that I get the meanings through the translations and subtitles from my anime and manga sources. I also make it a point to consult those who have a deeper knowledge of the complexities of the language to explain the 'technicalities'. 

I suck at Internet research as the search engines hate me and it always takes me three times longer to find the same thing that would take a grade school kid. So, I use books and the TV to actually do this. Please don't attempt to teach me how to do web-based research as I have enough well meaning friends to do so, but to little avail - I still suck. 

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Just some additional notes before the story or** 'My drivel to waste space'**

I have little idea as to what that huge fluffy boa Sess sports over his right shoulder truly is. Since a number of people believe it to be his tail, I've also decided to swing my vote that way and utilise it in my story. And after having visited the website:

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Sesshoumaru – The Killing Perfection [], 

it has helped to give me a clearer understanding of His Absolute Youkainess. While this resource came to my knowledge after I had pretty much drafted out eleven chapters of the story, I've still found it to be invaluable. A big "Arigatou!" to Téa-san for the incredible site! I absolutely love it for all the Sesshy goodness!

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With regards to my writing style - I rarely describe the characters' general appearance simply because I take it for granted that readers can 'see' how the characters are. Unless it's really necessary, I reserve my descriptive prose for the actual story itself. I'm not all that big on dialogue and have a tendency to write in the third-person narrative even as the character is thinking his or her thoughts. 

I also like to build up a story, 'setting the stage' as it were. While some readers may not like this style of writing, I can't and won't change it, simply because I tend to write according to what I like to read. Each of the chapters average 4-6 pages depending on the degree of action or plot-building, so updates take at least a minimum of 2 weeks to 20 days. I know I said that I have written several chapters ahead, but they are unedited with very embarrassing mistakes and odd syntax. I would rather have Sess stick his fingers in my right eye before I'll post them online. _;;

I generally type as I think, so sometimes re-reading the chapter once it's done can result in a major headache. I sometimes miss words, misspell others and use the same word one too many times over. It's largely the editing and fine-tuning that takes up the time. On top of that, I have to re-read the earlier chapters to make sure that I haven't lost track of the story's sequence and overall plot. It can happen – Sess and Kag moments are really just too fun to write! 

I'm also juggling another non-yaoi Weiss Kreuz fic _Dark Moon Ascendant II: The Summoning_, [Part 2 of 3], so please be patient. I do, however, promise to make each chapter count once it's posted (or die trying!)

Well, I guess that's all I can think of for now. This glossary may be updated in future as the story progresses and as it's stuck right in front, you may have little choice in the matter. And now, on with the story - that is, if you haven't skipped everything and simply started… I probably would have. J 

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~ Bern. 

(April 2003)


	2. A Happy Birthday

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An Inu Yasha Fanfiction

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Disclaimers: All the characters in the Inu Yasha Universe belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just taking some creative liberties with the story. Don't sue, I'm worth very little…

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Entwined Destinies

Prologue: A Happy Birthday

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Higurashi Shrine, Tokyo.

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to me!" Kagome sang as she bustled about her room gathering her homework and stationery before stuffing them into her schoolbag. Outside the window, she could hear the birds chirping and she smiled at the sound. Today was going to be a special day something within her said. And Kagome did not deny it. Now a confident 16 year-old in high school, Kagome felt the world was at her feet.

Bouncing down the stairs, she entered the kitchen and the smell of her mother's birthday breakfast made her tummy growl in expectation. Looking up as her daughter bounded in, Mrs Higurashi couldn't help but smile at excited, bright-eyed girl. Her daughter was growing up so fast that at times, she could not help but to feel nostalgic about the time when her girl was still little. Bringing the bowl of miso soup to the table, she set it before the eager girl.

"Happy Birthday, Kagome-chan," her mother murmured as she kissed the top of her daughter's head. In response, the ebony-haired girl reached up and hugged her mother tightly about the waist.

"Thank you, Mama! I'm so excited about today, it seems as though something fantastic is about to happen, even though I don't know why or how," Kagome rattled on, her exuberance beginning to infect the room. 

"Happy Birthday, onee-san!" Souta said as he walked in with the housecat Buyo in his arms.

"Happy Birthday, Kagome-chan," came a grizzled voice as her grandfather came up behind his grandson. "Looking forward to the day, I take it?" His eyes twinkled as he sat down opposite his granddaughter.

"Thank you, Grandfather, Souta!" Kagome grinned as she picked up a piece of gyoza from the plate with her chopsticks. "So, what did you get me?"

Her granfather's eyes rolled upwards at her brazen demands for a gift. Smiling, he reached down and pulled up a brightly decorated package tied in a red ribbon. Handing it to the now happily squealing girl, he cleared his throat to begin his speech.

"This is a very valuable gift, Kagome-chan," he began as the girl tugged at the wrapping. "It has spiritual powers and is very good for the casting of protection spells and charms. As you can see…"

"Grandpa, what on earth is this weird clawed hand doing in my present?" A sudden cold chill seemed to blow through the house at the statement.

"Ahhh… that is the clawed hand of a water sprite related to the kappa family," the old man began tentatively.

"Buyo, are you hungry?" Kagome said as she waved the thing in front of the curious cat who was swatting at it playfully.

"AHHH! Kagome-chan! Don't do that!"

Souta and his mother watched the scene in puzzlement and amusement. It never failed that Grandpa would always give them some strange relic for their birthday present. Guess he did it again for Kagome's birthday as well. 

Pushing back her chair, Kagome gave her grandfather a cold look and left the gift with Buyo. Watching the old man squirm under her glare, she still couldn't help but smile inwardly. It was her birthday and no matter what, she had every intention of enjoying it. Smiling at her family, Kagome then waved a goodbye as she ran off to school. Souta was walking to school with their mother and grandpa had to go to the shops to get his granddaughter a 'proper' present.

Looking up into the bright blue sky, Kagome smiled broadly as the day started. Yes, today is definitely going to be an extraordinary day in the life of Kagome Higurashi.

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Kagome thought back on the exciting day she'd had with her girlfriends as she jogged up the steps to the shrine. After school, they had headed downtown and spent the rest of the day visiting the shops and the newest café that everyone had been talking about. Manned entirely by really cute guys, they had spent the rest of the time speculating about the availability and other possible qualities the guys had. Needless to say, her girlfriends had planned to surprise her when a group of the handsome waiters brought out a cake with candles and sang 'Happy Birthday' to her.

Blushing furiously at the attention she'd received, Kagome couldn't help but be flattered. After all, they were really cute and had such lovely singing voices. Sighing, Kagome rubbed at her cheeks trying to will away the sudden blush that was spreading over her face. Walking past the shed that housed the old well, Kagome felt a sudden chill skittering down her spine. Frowning, she glanced around trying to figure out what was causing the hairs on her arms to stand on end. Shaking her head at the absurdity of the thoughts of ghosties and ghoulies that had popped into her mind, Kagome turned towards the house.

"Tadaima!" Kagome called out as she kicked off her shoes and dumped her schoolbag by the door.

"Kagome-chan, okaeri," her mother replied as she poked her around from the kitchen door. "Are you joining us for dinner? The bath is ready so if you want to, you can join us after. Dinner is still awhile longer."

"Thanks, Mama. I'll join you guys for dinner. There's so much I want to tell you about today!"

Her mother chuckled at her daughter's eager tone and nodded her head in acknowledgement. Kagome picked up her bag and scooted up the stairs. Switching on the room light, she glanced out the window. Her eyes drifted to the dark shed housing the well and she felt another shiver creep up her spine. Shaking her head vigorously, she proceeded to collect her clothes for the bath. Before leaving, she couldn't resist pulling the curtains shut to block out the view of the spooky building.

Dinner that night was a casual affair and there was much laughter at the table. Grandpa had got her a small jewel box and Souta had made her a lovely birthday card. Her mother's gift was very special. It consisted of a gold chain with Kagome's birthstone as its pendant. Throwing herself into her mother's arms, Kagome almost cried at the generosity of her mother's present. Gently placing the necklace within her new jewel box, Kagome then proceeded to enjoy her birthday dinner.

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Author's Notes: This has been reviewed and is now the Prologue. Originally posted as Chapter One, it was too short to be considered as a full chapter in my eyes. It's still the same but with minor formatting changes. [Like first time readers actually care… ;p]

This is meant to be an AU fic so please pardon some of the repetitious bits that crop up.I know that it may seem that I've rehashed the Grandpa's gift but bear with me – it'll be the only 'copy' from here on. It was meant to be a prologue but is now a proper chapter. I'll be developing the characters along my interpretation of them as gleaned from the anime and manga. So please be patient with me. I'm rather guilty of fleshing my stories out a little too much so that's why I tend to write too much. Editing is an absolute chore and I take almost as much time as I do the actual writing. Ugh!

Anyway, please a message in the review box to let me know what you think of it. Every review motivates me to churn out the next chapter so don't forget to remind me!


	3. On the Other Side of the Well

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Disclaimers: All the characters (except the snake youkai) belong to Takahashi Rumiko. All I own are the expensive plushies I splurge on. ::cuddles the hard to find Sesshie plushie::

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Thanks to:

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KawaiiAngel – Yup, this is a strictly Sess x Kag pairing. I hope that you'll continue to read. So enjoy!

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Shikome kido mi – Thanks for the compliment! I do try to keep the fic as readable and appealing as possible. I hope this chapter will give you a little more to chew on.

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Crash – Loved your fic! I'm flattered that you think mine has promise. I mustn't disappoint then! Yeah, spelling and grammar can either make or break a fic or any reading material for that matter. That's why I take some time to post each chapter, the editing takes just as long as the actual writing.

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Chapter 1: On The Other Side of the Well

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Later that night…

Kagome couldn't sleep. Something was nagging at the back of her mind but she couldn't figure out what it was. It didn't help matters that the recently clear night sky was now overcast with dark clouds skidding across the pale crescent moon. Grumbling softly, she tossed and turned trying to get comfortable so that sleep could come faster. The wind had picked up and she almost jumped out of her skin when a mournful howl came in through her window. Jerking up, she reached to turn on the light when she felt the strange feeling return. Swallowing at the creepy sensation, Kagome slipped out of bed and slowly crept to the window. Peeking through the curtains, she found herself looking at the well shed.

As much as she wanted to tear her eyes away from it, she remained transfixed. There appeared to be something different about it. It seemed to beckon her, a haunting call that she found herself wanting to answer. At the same time, it also sent a deep chill of foreboding that made her want to bury herself under the covers and hide away till morning. Finally managing to break the spell, Kagome yanked the curtains close and scrambled under her blanket. As for how long she remained there, she had no idea. All she knew was that when she awoke, the morning sun was high in the sky.

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As Kagome swept up the leaves by Goshinboku, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It was making her uncomfortable and she kept looking around trying to find the source of the spying. It was also beginning to irritate her. Kagome was not too shy a girl to run away from a confrontation, and as of this moment, she felt like giving a good thumping to whoever it was that was watching her. As she moved closer to the well shed, she barely paid it any attention. The unsettling feeling from last night had vanished and currently Kagome was more focused on finding the peeping tom that was now starting to anger her.

As she manoeuvred her broom by the shed, a muffled thump sounded from behind the wall. Spinning round, Kagome stared at the dark wooden planks wide-eyed. _'What on earth?'_ came the thought as she frowned. Attempting to peer through the rickety door, she looked for signs of someone inside.

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'Grandpa has forbidden any of us from entering. Mama wouldn't have a reason, Souta's too scared and I'm out here. Could it be Grandpa?'

Pushing the loudly creaking door open, she was about to step in when she felt something grab her hand. Releasing a scream loud enough to almost bring the roof down, she spun around to see what it was. An extremely scared and tearful face looked up at her and Kagome quickly regretted her silly behaviour.

"I'm sorry, Souta. I didn't mean to scream like that. I was just a little startled, that's all," Kagome said as she reached down to brush away her brother's tears and comfort him. The young boy sniffled and gave his sister a petulant pout.

"Why are you so jumpy, onee-san?" Souta asked as he rubbed his eyes. "Mama said you looked rather worried and she sent me to look for you." Looking up at his sister, he once more stared into her face. "Is something wrong, onee-san? Why are you opening the shed door? Grandpa said that we shouldn't enter because it's bad luck." Even as he was saying this, Kagome could feel her brother's hand tightening around hers in worry.

"I thought I heard someone, Souta. I thought maybe Grandpa had gone in to check up on stuff."

"But Grandpa's at the house watching Ripley's Believe It Or Not." Souta's eyes then widened at the realisation and he hid himself behind Kagome. Gently squeezing her brother's hand, Kagome then reached for the door's handle to pull it shut. It was at that moment that she saw what was in the shed watching her.

Screaming loudly, she instinctively shoved her brother backwards and out of the creature's reach. Souta's eyes were now as large as saucers and he too, opened his mouth to scream in terror as the monster grabbed his sister around the waist. Kagome struggled in the monster's grip and yelled for him to run away. Screaming for his mother, Souta scrambled away, his small legs struggling to take him away from the monster and towards help.

"Let me go! Help! Help! Mama! Grandpa, help me!" Kagome cried out at the top of her lungs as she struggled frantically in the monster's grip. Distantly, she heard her mother's cries of fear and horror and her Grandfather's frantic chanting of some strange mantra. The monster had retreated towards the well and Kagome saw a strange blue light emanating from it. Somehow, she felt that if she were to enter it, she would not be able to return. That fear lent her further strength.

"Let me go, NOW!"

Shoving her hand into its grotesque parody of a face, she felt a surge of energy coursing through her. The monster shrieked in agony and released her. For a moment, Kagome felt relief flooding her before realising that she was suspended over the well. Without the creature's grip about her, she began to fall. In that instant, she saw her family's faces with fear and terror plastered across, before the sides of the well blocked her view of them.

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'Oh god, NO!!!'

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Southern territory of the Western Lands,

Sengoku Jidai

Sesshoumaru paused as his keen senses alerted him to a sudden change in the forest's calm. There appeared nothing out of the ordinary, but the youkai lord knew better. Narrowing his amber eyes, he methodically scoured the forest about him. It was neither youkai nor human although he could pick up subtle traces of their fading stench. No, it was something else entirely. And Sesshoumaru hated not knowing what it was.

"Jaken, watch the pack beast," was his curt command to the small toad-like creature by his feet.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," came the high-pitched reply.

Without any further acknowledgement of his minion, he took off through the trees. As he moved swiftly through the forest, he felt the faint energy pulses strengthening in intensity. Slowing down, he then proceeded carefully to the site. It was a small clearing with flowering plants, nothing exceptional. In the centre, there appeared to be a wooden construction covered in a tangle of weeds and vines. It was from this structure that the strange energy pulses were emanating.

Sesshoumaru approached it cautiously, his highly-developed senses ready for any possible attack. He picked up a sound and instinctively went into a battle crouch. The noise grew louder and he waited for it to reveal itself. He then heard what sounded like a grunt of discomfort before a small, slender hand emerged to grip the top of the wooden ledge. He watched on as the other hand joined its partner and the grunting increase in volume. Sesshoumaru was now almost annoyed at what appeared to be a human trying to climb out of the wooden structure. If there hadn't been the energy waves, he would have yanked it out and gutted it for the inconvenience it had caused him.

By now, he could see a dark head coming up over the ledge. It popped up as the human levered its body over the side. An uncovered leg swung over and the person managed to tumble over to land in the weeds by the well's side. Panting in exhaustion, it still refused to acknowledge Sesshoumaru's presence. And that was beginning to irritate the youkai lord. The energy's pulsation was now fading and he briefly wondered why. Not that it mattered. The human had taken up his time and will now pay for it with its life. As he moved closer, he noticed that it was beginning to sit up and take notice of its surroundings.

Pausing, Sesshoumaru waited for it to eventually look in his direction. He might as well get a brief kick out of its terror before ripping its head off. The human pulled itself to its feet and turned around. For a moment, time seemingly stilled as Sesshoumaru took in what appeared to be a strangely, if indecently dressed, human female. He couldn't seem to decide at whether to be mildly amused or disgusted at the human's appearance. He did, however, enjoy the look of fear that had begun to creep over her face. Before she could even blink, he was standing directly in front of her and watched as her eyes widened further.

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Kagome felt that this had to be the worst day of her life. First that uncomfortable feeling of being watched, to the appearance of that horrible monster grabbing her, before her tumbling into the glowing well while hearing her family cry out in fear. When she realised that she had stopped falling and now lying on the dirt floor, she found that she had to climb out of the well with nothing but the various weeds and roots to help her. After what seemed like an eternity of climbing (she never could pass the rope-climbing test in gym class), she finally tumbled out into the open. But it wasn't the wooden floor of the shed. Instead, it was a sunny clearing in the middle of a forest.

Her mind was still frantically scrambling to process what had happened when she felt a prickle at the back of her head. Pulling herself up, she slowly turned to see a very traditionally dressed long-haired man with what looked like a fur mantle over his shoulder eyeing her with an unnerving intensity. She couldn't see his face too clearly but his demeanour appeared to be anything but friendly. Feeling fear washing into her, she was about to open her mouth to speak when he suddenly appeared right in front of her. Eyes now goggling, Kagome felt the beginnings of a full-blown terror start within her.

But before anything could happen, there was a sudden tremble under their feet that caused her to tumble forward into him. Startled at the sudden contact, he stiffened and was about to shove her away when the monster burst out into the open from the well. Leaping backwards gracefully, the man brought Kagome with him before silently taking in the monster's appearance. Kagome turned around and gasped as she finally saw the monster in the clear light of day. It looked like a huge snake with clawed appendages protruding from its body. Cruel red eyes focused on her and its mouth widened in a twisted smirk. Unconsciously, her grip tightened in the folds of the man's clothing and she whimpered faintly in fear.

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Sesshoumaru inwardly cursed his poor attention to the situation and glared at the youkai that had interrupted his sport. He heard the female whimper and the sudden clenching of her hands in the folds of his kimono. Somehow, the sound provoked an unusual response within him and he felt a sudden inexplicable need to protect her. A part of him wanted to analyse this odd instinct but his more practical side dictated his attention to the fight that was coming. Eyeing the youkai with cool disdain, he then realised that the girl was the target. As to its fascination with the female, Sesshoumaru guessed that she would appear to be a tasty enough morsel. But it wasn't important though, the youkai was a walking corpse.

Tugging the girl from him, he gently shoved her to the ground out of the way. She barely responded and simply accepted the abrupt dismissal. Ignoring her, Sesshoumaru now focused on the monster before him.

"Give me the girl, inu youkai," came the guttural hiss from the monster. "She is mine to devour."

Sesshoumaru refused to respond. He watched as the snake youkai hiss in fury and prepared to attack. Since his arrival at the well, Sesshoumaru had been spoiling for a fight. It seemed that he would not be disappointed. The snake youkai hissed in anger once more and levelled a strike at the youkai lord. It hit the ground with a force that sent the earth spraying high into the air. Twisting its head about, it searched for the suddenly elusive inu youkai. There was a pale flash and the snake youkai howled in agony as its body was neatly cleaved in two, the bloody spray not touching its attacker. Landing lightly on his feet by the stunned human, Sesshoumaru briefly assessed the success of his attack.

Satisfied, he turned away to once more focus his attention on the girl sprawled at his feet. As he looked down at her, she appeared to be staring fascinated at the remains of the snake youkai. Reaching down, he grabbed her by the scruff of her neck thereby forcing her to get to her feet. Choking at the firm hold he had about her neck, Kagome automatically lashed out. Catching her wrist easily, he was a little surprised at her sudden violent response. Releasing her neck, he instead tightened his grip on her wrist in warning. She winced in pain and she looked up at him as fear and anger warred within the unusual storm grey depths of her eyes.

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'The foolish human is actually angry with me,' Sesshoumaru thought and it intrigued him. None that he knew of, save his late father, had ever shown that emotion without paying for it with their lives. Narrowing his amber eyes to intimidate her, he tightened his grip on her further. He heard her gasp and she reached up to grab at his offending hand. Vaguely, Sesshoumaru wondered why he was even bothering with the female but then he felt the pulsing of that energy once more. Growling low in his throat, he turned to the well and tried to locate the source.

"Let go! You're hurting me!" Kagome cried out as she tried to struggle from the youkai's iron grip. But remembering how he had easily killed the monster with nothing more than a savage swipe of his right hand, Kagome was willing to bet that he too, was a monster. Even if a rather handsome one. _'Stop that!'_ her mind scolded her. _'Thinking about how handsome he looks when he's about ready to rip your arm off is NOT what you should be worrying about!'_

Easily ignoring her cries of pain, Sesshoumaru allowed his senses to flow out and search for the source. It was so close but where? Growling at the futility, he realised that the female had now quietened down. The energy was close by, and it appeared to be thrumming with an anxiety. Frowning, Sesshoumaru then glanced at the girl. She was breathing unevenly and as he watched, two trails of clear liquid started to stream down. The drooping shoulders and head indicated that she was resigning herself to her fate. Satisfied at her silence, Sesshoumaru tried to pinpoint the source of the energy once more.

The energy pulses fascinated him on a level he couldn't quite explain. As much as he wanted to dismiss it, it called to him. Now, it had slowed down and possessed a feeling of melancholy. It attracted him and in some deep corner of his mind, it pulled at memories he had refused to acknowledge for a long time. Faint sniffles were now coming from the girl and Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat once more. The damn energy was so close, almost as though it was with him. It wasn't the well and definitely not the dead youkai so that left… Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in realisation.

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Kagome tried to keep her sobbing quiet. She didn't want to cry but the events of the day were beginning to tell on her. Also her worry and fears for her family were now pressing down on her and she was beginning to feel sick at the thought of how they fared. The other great fear was whether she could even return home. After falling into the well, she had carried the hope that perhaps all of this was a nightmare that she would soon wake up from but it was not to be. The cruel grip of the youkai holding her made sure of it. And Kagome couldn't help but feel herself resign to the fact that these were most likely her last few moments alive.

Sesshoumaru stared at the girl in shock as the pieces began falling into place. The energy had appeared only when she had and aside from the distraction of the snake youkai, had once more begun when he was alone with her. How could this human possess such a power? An incredible power that had called out to him from over five miles away. Sesshoumaru did not tolerate such curiosities. As he looked down at the girl contemplating on his discovery, she had turned her face up to look into his. He took in the tear-stained cheeks and grief-clouded eyes, absentmindedly wondering how she could look so frail and yet contain such power. It was only when she spoke that he was pulled out of his thoughts.

"Please let me return home to my family. I really don't know what's happening but I don't want to die. I just want to go home." Kagome couldn't help but to choke back a sob as she spoke. She could barely see his clear golden eyes through her tears but felt the grip on her wrist loosen. She didn't pull free but waited for him to let her go on his own.

The female's eyes drew him in. They were so full of emotion and it captivated him. He had rarely had any opportunity to indulge in this curiosity and now she provided him with many. His grip loosened unconsciously but she didn't pull away. She waited for him to let her go instead. _'Intelligent wench.'_

The energy emanating from her tickled his senses and Sesshoumaru made a decision. This strange female from the well held secrets that he, Sesshoumaru, wanted to uncover. If her power was truly potent, he had no wish to see it fall into any of the other youkai's hands. Sesshoumaru was assured in his abilities to protect his lands from any foolish youkai who challenged him, but he wasn't stupid in assuming that he was invulnerable. And the last thing that the Lord of the Western Lands wanted, was a powered-up youkai challenging him for his heritage. No, the girl would remain under his control until he had sated his curiosity regarding her powers.

Besides, she didn't smell as bad as the other humans who'd had the misfortune of crossing his path. It was actually rather pleasant.

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Author's Notes: I had actually planned to post it together with the Prologue but realised that I hadn't checked it for grammar and any accidental errors. It was certainly a long chapter to write. While I try not to write beyond 2500 words per chapter, things don't always work out according to plan. Besides, overly short chapters really irritate me. Before I get a chance to settle into the story, I have to on to the next one. Ah well, to each their own. I've had some people complain that my chapters are a too long. There's no pleasing everyone, right? So please yourself, and hope to find like-minded individuals.

Okay, so Sess and Kag don't seem too much in character but then, I'm attempting something different. **It's an Inuyasha Alternate Universe story**. There will be **NO** Inu Yasha and maybe a few other characters. I don't want to spoil it too much as the story will move along on its own. Since Inuyasha is largely action-oriented, it'll be a little harder to include all the drama and characterisation bits. Uh huh, very different from my Weiss Kreuz fic – Dark Moon Ascendant. [A multi-arc fic : 1 down, 2 to go… Yes!]

I hope that you will take time to review this fic. I've got plans for this and would love to finish it. You must motivate me by letting me know what you think of it. Anyway, I'll leave off here until the next chapter. Ja ne!

~ Bern. (April 2003)


	4. Dealing with a Youkai Lord

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Disclaimers: I still don't own any of the characters from the Inu Yasha universe. ::sigh::

Thank you:

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Shikome kido mi – Your reviews always help me to reflect on the chapter I've written and the ones that will follow. It's hard to edit your own work as you're always reading the same things over. But then, that's why it helps to get good feedback. Thanks for the reviews and the encouragement!

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sesshyangel – Sorry for the wait. Although the story is several chapters ahead, I need time to edit it. I'm also writing another fic so that takes more time away. That's why I post long chapters of at least 4-6 pages, it gives readers a chance to get into the story. It is strictly Sess x Kag; and no, Sess is NOT warm and fuzzy personality-wise. Kag has to teach him and he's got to learn, but there will be some OOC moments though more for humour than anything else. Thanks for the review!

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Toki Mirage – Thanks for the complimen! O.o, your name appears later [next chapter] in my fic! An original character to help Kag 'adjust' to life in Sess' time. I'm floored… If you don't want the name used, just let me know; I can easily change it. About editing one's work – it's a personal choice but I always feel that readers shouldn't struggle with a text unnecessarily. If the reading's easy, then the reader's more complimenting of it. A little time out to polish the story could make a very big difference between an 'okay' and a 'great!'.

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Crash – Thanks! I was a little worried about Kag and Sess being in character sufficiently. Although it's AU, there are some things that I personally feel one shouldn't change too much. I'm glad you're still following the story, it's not easy getting good reviewers to comment on the overall presentation. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!

And certainly not forgetting the others who took time out to leave a little something in the review box:

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Me, lynnie, suki, Moonwind, Gatogirl, Keitorin, Yuko, KIKYO-HATER and **ClawDieAH **– Thanks for the compliments! I hope that you'll continue with the story.

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Chapter 2: Dealing with a Youkai Lord

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Sengoku Jidai, Japan

Kagome stumbled after Sesshoumaru feeling increasingly put out by his continued silence. She had so many questions burning at the tip of her tongue but fear kept her silent. After witnessing his easy destruction of that snake monster and his barely restrained tolerance of her, she didn't feel up to the task of challenging him. Besides, her options were limited – be killed by him or follow him and hope he may be lenient on her.

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'Talk about being caught between a rock and a very hard place,' she thought miserably staring at his back. 

The silence actually allowed Kagome time to reflect on the person she was following. She recalled his unusual colouring and the strange red tattoo-like markings on his face, especially the dark blue crescent on his forehead. She wondered briefly of the its significance before her mind focused on the most incredible feature – his hair. The sleek, silky flows of moonlight silver hair almost as long as she was tall swayed gently in motion as he walked along the path. Despite her trepidation of him, Kagome couldn't help but be enchanted by its seemingly ethereal beauty. She could feel the itch in her fingers to run through those extraordinary locks but knew that she could end up losing those very fingers in the process, if not her life. She only wished that the startling cold amber gold of his eyes were instead as warm as golden honey.

But things were far from perfect and Kagome sighed inwardly at the cruel twist of fate that brought her to the mercy of this dangerous, if beautiful creature. They continued walking until the sun began to sink down behind the trees. The chill in the air started to creep in and Kagome involuntarily shivered. She felt sick, scared and was now very tired. Her hunger had diminished with her constant worry and thankfully did not bother her. She had given up crying, her cheeks now grubby from the dirt picked up along the way. Kagome just didn't want to care anymore.

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Sesshoumaru's senses kept track of the girl behind him as she pushed herself on to keep up with him. For the eighth time since meeting her, he went over his reasons for keeping her with him. It would certainly save him a lot of trouble if he simply killed her, but something within cautioned him against it. Sesshoumaru held little belief in fate, he believed in nothing save himself to ensure success. Sesshoumaru was the youngest lord in the history of the four lands, a position that was tenuous at best. He knew that the territory of the Western Lands under his control were a rich prize for any youkai power to claim for its self. And one foolish youkai had tried to do just that. Needless to say, Sesshoumaru held very fond memories of destroying that usurper.

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So why was he keeping this human female by him? 

The energy was now gone, most likely due to the girl's weariness. Sesshoumaru almost sneered at the typical weakness of humans before remembering her unique powers. This female held a secret that could change things for him. She needed to be brought back to the fortress so that he could begin the interrogation. Until then, he had to put up with her barely struggling form.

"Move faster, wench. I wish to return before nightfall," he demanded without turning around. 

The sole response he got was a sudden gasp and the thump of her body as it hit the forest floor. He waited impatiently for her to pull herself up but she remained unmoving on the ground. He heard her faintly sobbing and inwardly sighed in annoyance. Ignoring her momentarily, he scanned the surrounding area to get a bearing on his location. Both Jaken and the pack animal were still a distance away and Sesshoumaru was tempted to leave the feeble girl behind. Hearing a soft shuffle, he turned back to look at her. As his eyes fell on her, the evening light streamed in through the branches overhead and caught her in an ethereal glow of light. He didn't realise it, but Sesshoumaru's breathe paused for a moment.

Looking up into the stern and impassive face, Kagome had little idea of the emotion that had flashed through him. All she felt was the grief within her soul that was flowing through her. Her face was shrouded in emotion and it spoke louder than words. The evening light made it a little difficult to see him clearly but she didn't care. All she wanted was to be comforted and told that it was a bad dream. She wasn't sitting in the middle of a darkening forest with a very dangerous inu youkai as the only companion in this godforsaken place. Kagome wanted to scream out loud at the injustice of it all but she could barely open her mouth to speak. And why was he staring at her with such intensity?

"Get up."

"I can't."

"Don't tempt me, human. My patience is fading."

"That's not my problem. I'm too exhausted to move. Can't you get it?"

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe his ears at the female's blatant response. None had ever questioned or told him off and here was this strange girl daring him to take her miserable life by challenging his authority. Narrowing his eyes in anger, he stepped up to her and reached to grab her arm. Kagome realised his intention and she instinctively swatted at his outstretched limb. His eyes widened at the insult and his patience vanished. Grabbing her by both shoulders, he slammed her body into the nearest tree. Crying out in pain and fear, Kagome struggled desperately to escape his clutches.

"Let me go! You're hurting me! Help! Anyone, please help me!"

"Silence, wench! No one can hear you so cease your pointless screeching before I do it for you!"

"Why are you bullying me?" Kagome sobbed out the question as she quietened down. "I never did anything to you but you treat me like dirt. Why?"

"Do not question my intentions unless you wish to die."

"You keep threatening to kill me, but why did you save me from that monster?"

Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on her shoulders unconsciously as he pondered her question. He wanted to know about her secret powers but something nagged at the back of his mind about the full reason for him to keep her around. Growling deep in his throat, he stepped back thereby releasing her. Slumping heavily against the tree, Kagome reached up to rub her aching shoulders and catch her breath back. She wasn't too sure as yet but there had to be a reason why this – what did that monster call him? – 'inu youkai' wanted her alive. The brief reprieve he gave her allowed her to start thinking seriously back to the moment she had come across the monster and the events that rapidly followed.

Sesshoumaru weighed his options of confronting her about her mystical powers now or dragging her back to his fortress for a more thorough interrogation at his leisure. Looking at the girl, he could see that she was now deep in thought. What in the four lands could she be thinking about? Focusing his senses, he did not detect any build-up in the energy so she couldn't be planning on attacking him. Her meditative silence was beginning to grate on his nerves.

"What are you thinking about, girl?" Sesshoumaru demanded and noted with some satisfaction as she was startled out of her thoughts. Peering at him, Kagome tried to find the words to explain her suspicions.

"I was wondering about how I got here and about the monster that followed me," she began. Seeing an interested glint in the stern amber gaze, she pushed on. It was hope against hope but maybe he could help her discover a way home.

"I don't live here. I live in Tokyo with my family. I was dropped into the well when that monster captured me and when I climbed out, I was in this place."

"You are missing out some details, wench. Think back and relate each action sequentially."

"Call me Kagome. Not 'wench', 'human' or 'girl'. If we are to have a civilised conversation, the least we can do is to introduce ourselves." Kagome couldn't believe the words that had popped out of her mouth. But it made sense as she was getting tired of being addressed in such a derogatory manner. And she was also curious to know the inu youkai's name. 

Sesshoumaru almost growled at her brazen demand to call her by her name. But given the situation, he allowed it to pass. Sesshoumaru's curiosity was beginning to get the better of him and it excused his unusual acceptance of this girl. Somehow, he felt that this conversation was going to be rather intriguing. He wanted to know more about this place called 'Tokyo'.

"I am Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands. You will accord me the respect of my station. Now speak!"

Kagome stared at the person before her. Lord of the Western Lands? _'At least the Sesshoumaru part fits him,'_ she thought. _'He doesn't look older than 20 but then again who knows how youkai age. Either way, he's curious about me so that may be why I'm not lying in little pieces next to that monster.'_ Shuddering at the memory, Kagome forced herself to reflect back on her unusual journey. Tapping a finger against her lower lip, she began to narrate bit by bit the incident that led to her arrival.

"I was sweeping the leaves by the well shed and felt like I was being watched. I thought that it might be some pervert trying to be funny when I heard a thump from inside the shed. Grandpa had warned all of us to stay away from the well but I thought that maybe he was inside. Souta, my younger brother, came out from the house to call me in," Kagome said before pausing for a moment. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly at the delay but she soon picked up her narration. 

"By then, I discovered that it wasn't Grandpa inside. I couldn't see what it was but I saw enough to try to escape. I managed to get Souta out of the way but the monster caught me. I then saw that the well was glowing a strange blue colour and tried to escape. I then screamed at it to let me go when …," Kagome paused and frowned as she tried to recall what happened next. Somehow, things got rather blurry then and she had no idea how to explain it.

Sesshoumaru listened to her explanation but his interested only perked up when she mentioned the well's glow. He knew that the well had something to do with it but he also realised that the source of the power lay within the girl herself. He was merely waiting for her to confirm his suspicions. He observed the confusion cross her face as she tried to puzzle out her situation. After a minute or so, he noticed her eyes widen in realisation and she turned to look at him. Sesshoumaru could barely contain his smirk.

"My hand… Something came out of my hand and caused the monster to drop me into the well!" Kagome exclaimed in shock. "But what?" Staring at her hands, she could not believe that she had something to do with her being in this foreign world. As she pondered on the new revelation, she was struck by another thought. If the well brought her here, maybe it could take her back. Barely suppressing the excitement swelling within her heart, she looked to the youkai for help.

"No." His single response caused Kagome to choke in response.

"WHAT! Why not?"

"There is a reason for your being here. Why else would you have been brought over?"

"That's a flimsy excuse! You said yourself that you would sooner see me dead than put up with me. Why the sudden change of heart?" Kagome almost yelled at the infuriating youkai lord.

"Stop yelling or I'll rip your tongue out, wench. You insist in trying my patience," Sesshoumaru replied coldly and his eyes flashed a brief red. Kagome blinked in surprise at the sight before forcing herself to take deep breaths to calm herself. She kept forgetting that he was a very dangerous individual. But that did not mean that he could boss her around and persistently call her 'wench'. Was he that hard of hearing or just plain dumb? Kagome felt a vein twitch above her eye in annoyance.

"My name is Kagome. Ka-go-me. If you call me by my name, maybe I won't get as upset, Sesshoumaru-_san_." 

Kagome barely resisted the opportunity to needle him back. The small logical part of her questioned her suicidal tendencies especially when she saw a sudden sharp glint in the amber eyes and a quick baring of his fangs. For a while, silence reigned as they both faced off in the shadowed forest. The moment was broken when a sudden high-pitched cry cut through the quiet. Jumping, Kagome turned to see what looked like a two-legged toad wobbling hurriedly to the inu youkai's side. She could hardly contain her laughter at the sight of such an oddity.

Sesshoumaru was annoyed at Jaken's sudden appearance but at the same time, slightly pleased. It would mean that the pack animal was nearby and they could head off for the fortress sooner. He raised an eyebrow at the girl's sudden laughter at the sight of his servant but let it past. The slight hoarseness of her voice added a husky quality that caused the finer hairs on him to tingle. It was strangely pleasant and a part of him wanted to hear more. However, he squashed the thought as she started coughing. Jaken was staring at her with his mouth open and Sesshoumaru could almost hear the words coming from his mouth before the servant actually voiced it.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what is this filthy human wench doing with your lordship? Shall I remove her from your presence?" Jaken asked his lord, the whiny voice irritating both Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

"Hey! Don't call me wench! And the only reason I'm filthy is because your Sesshoumaru-sama decided to take me on a long, tiring walk without a single pit-stop!" Kagome spat back, her anger rising.

"How dare you insult his lordship, wench! Once Sesshoumaru-sama gives me the order, I will toast you with my Nintoujou. So watch your mouth, human filth!" Jaken shouted back at her. What happened next could only be described as traumatic for one and cathartic for the other.

Kagome's patience finally snapped and all she saw was a red haze as she charged the little toad. It squawked and tried to escape behind its master but was not quick enough. A sharp yank saw the staff go sailing into the brambles before a powerful kick in the rear saw the toad youkai follow it into the same prickly bush a moment later. Clenching her hands into tight fists of rage, Kagome did not realise that she was cutting into her palms with her fingernails. Sesshoumaru silently observed her violent response when the smell of her blood caused him to frown slightly. 

He was intrigued at the depth of her anger. If she had used her power, Sesshoumaru would have had to find a new servant. As it was, he could feel the energy level suddenly increase and his senses perceived her ki swirling about her. This female was certainly an enigma to be studied further. As secure as he was in his abilities to look after himself, he had little wish to invite trouble. This girl carried within an untamed power that could easily destroy any youkai by touch once it was correctly channelled. Suddenly excited, Sesshoumaru called Jaken and ordered him to bring the pack animal round.

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Kagome hung her head as she fought for control. The strain of the past hours had worn her down to the point where her humour had disappeared. The last thing she needed was for some smart-ass to speak to her in a condescending voice and call her 'wench'. Kagome could feel something coursing through her that invigorated her while at the same time it scared her. Could this be the power that had saved her earlier from the snake monster before she fell into the well? If so, would she be able to control it before it got the better of her and caused harm to others or herself?

Sesshoumaru cautiously approached her, all the while reading the flow of ki around her. Thankfully, it settled and he stood before her once more. Kagome looked up into his face and Sesshoumaru saw a brief flash of realisation before it disappeared. Schooling her face, Kagome waited for the youkai lord to make his move.

"We will go to my fortress. The night is approaching and I have little desire to remain in the forest. If you wish to feed, bathe and seek shelter for the night, you will come with me. I will not ask twice." 

Turning on his heel, Sesshoumaru walked towards the pack animal and Jaken. He could sense her indecision, pride warring with need. Inwardly, he couldn't help but be amused. _'The girl has spirit. So unlike the others that taint the land.'_ As he reached the two, he heard her follow him. Smirking at the small victory, he summoned his magic and lifted them upward into the sky toward the Fortress of the Western Lands.

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Author's Notes: 

Is it just me or am I repeating myself in the Sess-Kag dialogue? After all, how many times can you tell someone you're losing patience before they actually lose theirs before you? 

I've also realised that I'm incorporating Japanese terms into an English language fic. The Weiss Kreuz fic I'm also writing doesn't use Japanese words beyond the names of people and places. I suppose this is because there is an English equivalent that is perfectly capable of carrying the meaning across. Like the Japanese word 'katana' can be easily [and rather coolly] substituted with 'sword' or 'blade'. But that is a story set in a modern setting with half the cast being non-Japanese so there's no problem. *grins*

The point I'm finally making is this: While it's okay to use foreign language words in a fic [assuming English], I feel that it should only be used if really necessary. Sometimes, I come across fics that randomly insert foreign phrases when perfectly legit English words can be used makes me wince. This actually upsets the story's 'flow' and my mind gets a little jarred from the sudden language switch. Inuyasha fanfiction is somewhat different. There are terms and words that just 'have' to be used to carry the meaning across. If nothing else, it may even enhance the story. [Purists might not agree to this, but to each their own] I know it may seem hypocritical but on further reflection, there are some words that just don't carry the same 'oomph' as the original, like 'Shikon no Tama'.

I suppose the point should be consistency. Switching between languages or simply dropping it altogether could sometimes cause more harm than good. So that's why I take it upon myself to check my work for consistency and other grammatical errors. Nobody's perfect but you can always try to make your work 'better' by taking some time out to look through it. Reading unedited work is a pain and often I find myself skipping promising stories because their authors are either too lazy or ambivalent to give their readers due consideration. I'd find it rather embarrassing if someone were to point out major grammatical/spelling flaws that are easily avoidable. But hey, this is **MY** opinion so no nasty emails on this, okay? *smiles*

Right, enough whining. Sess is getting grumpy since it's past his bedtime so I'll leave it here. Please drop a note to let me know what you think or whether I'm cluttering cyberspace with this junk. Till the next chapter, ja ne! 


	5. Coping with Propriety

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Disclaimers: I don't own anything of Inu Yasha except for whatever exorbitantly priced merchandise I purchased legally.

Thank you:

Since I never expected so many reviews from the previous chapter, I'll save some space and simply list all of you who dropped a little something in the box below. Although, I have sent private mails to several of you, I still want to say thank you once again.

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Vegito044, Tina, atashi-wa-Yume, Star Eiz, Kai19, jammincat9, Crash, shadow star, kagomesirene, Artemis Sakura, Paper-Thin, Yue, MarsMoonStar, Rinaanne45, Mala Valvah, aligirl2468, shikome kido mi, Queen of the Storms, Nekoyasha, Nienna Helyanwe. 

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Chapter 3: Coping with Propriety

As they rose into the air, Kagome squeaked and reached out to grab the nearest thing within reach. And that unfortunately happened to be the youkai's furry boa-like ornament. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in shock at the girl's audacity for clamping onto his tail that for a moment he was stunned. Jaken made a terrified noise and Kagome began to feel very nervous. True enough, she felt sharp claws dig into the tender flesh of her neck as she was hauled up before the burning amber eyes.

"Touch my person again, and I will show no uncertainty in ensuring your death, wench!" The order came out as a dangerous growl that raised the hairs on Kagome's arms. Apparently, that furry piece of clothing was attached to him in someway. After he had unceremoniously dumped her by his feet, Kagome rubbed her bruised area tenderly. She could feel the prickling of tears behind her eyelids but forced herself not to cry. He wasn't worth it. Blinking them away furiously, she happened to glare at the thing that resulted in her latest injury.

Puzzling as to why this youkai would wear such an audacious furry pelt over his shoulder, she visually traced the graceful flow of it and realised that it seemed to disappear into his lower back. Glancing at the youkai who was now thoroughly ignoring her, Kagome peeked over at the toad Jaken. He, too, ignored her in a rather pathetic imitation of his Sesshoumaru-sama's dignified stance.

'_Monkey see, monkey do_,' came her uncharitable thought. '_In this case, it's more toady see, toady do_.'

The comment cheered her up a little and Kagome once more returned her attention to the object of her curiosity. The thing appeared to be tucked into his pants but on closer inspection revealed a neat, almost invisible slit in the material between the seams of his leather armour. It was here that the furry boa snaked out of. But why on earth would he want to go through all that trouble, or for that matter, why would he want to stuff a furry boa into his pants? 

Kagome was now burning with questions but she had no intention of provoking Mr. Personality into either ripping out her throat or tossing her over to plunge to her death. And given his recent response to her offence - probably both. If she wanted to know, she would have to work it out on her own. Occasionally peeking at the two youkai surreptitiously, she continued to work out the purpose of the furry boa. It was at that moment she saw the thing appearing to twitch slightly.

Rubbing her eyes, Kagome stared at the now quiet boa. She could have sworn that the thing was flicking about on its own. Lowering her head to rest on her bent knees, she pretended to give up. A couple of minutes later, it started to twitch. The movement seemed somewhat familiar. She recalled the words the earlier monster had said about him being an inu youkai. Could it be? As if sensing her question, it flicked once more. 

Kagome's mouth opened wide and she was about to exclaim in surprise when she remembered her current situation. She clapped a hand over her mouth before ducking her head down. Jaken was squinting at her annoyed at the small noise but Sesshoumaru continued to regard her with the same interest he reserved for dirt. Peeking through her lashes and hair, she followed the long furry tail to where it draped over the youkai's shoulder in a seemingly nonchalant manner. No wonder it appeared to be a fancy fur pelt. He was wearing his own tail as a fashion statement! 

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Sesshoumaru was actually paying the girl a lot more attention than she realised. After she had rudely grabbed at his tail, he had felt anger and had immediately picked her up by the scruff of the neck. The fear in her eyes pleased him, if fleetingly. After warning her, he had dropped by his feet and instead focused on directing the magical cloud to its destination. However, it was her intense gaze upon his person that brought him out of his thoughts. He felt her quick searching glance directed at his face and it piqued his curiosity. The girl was up to something; he could almost smell it. His tail gave a faint twitch as that thought passed through his mind.

The gaze she levelled on him was almost probing. She still remained seated where he had dumped her and her head barely came up to just below his hips. And if he sensed correctly, she was apparently focused on his rear. That brought about a conflict of emotions for the youkai lord. He couldn't decide if he should feel insulted, pleased or even amused at the girl's intense fascination of his rear end. Sesshoumaru wasn't vain but he did take pride in his body's natural masculinity. Unknowingly, his tail twitched at the thought.

He heard a short gasp that was quickly cut off by the girl clamping a hand over her mouth. He might not be able to see her, but his other senses were more than alert to every movement and emotion coming from her. It was strange but Sesshoumaru had never met anyone with such nuances of emotion. Each flux and change registered in his senses and Sesshoumaru realised with a start that he was becoming almost addicted it. He was now unconsciously waiting for each small wave and it provoked his anger. Thankfully for Kagome, they had arrived at the Fortress of the Western Lands. 

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The sun had set and Kagome suddenly realised how cold she actually felt. Shivering, she briskly rubbed her arms to generate warmth from the friction. The fortress was largely in darkness but the passage leading into its heart was brightly lit. Following the silver-haired youkai, Kagome barely had any time to take in the residence's décor. Rich tapestries, gleaming wood furniture and shadowed hallways were swiftly passed by and a couple of times, Kagome had to jog to keep up with the brisk youkai.

'_At least the walk is keeping me warm_,' she mentally grumbled to herself. Focused on keeping up with Sesshoumaru, she only came to a stop when she plowed into his back. Glaring down at the red, apologetic face, he decided to ignore the clumsy creature. He wanted a hot soothing bath and a light supper before retiring to his study. Unfortunately, he had to take care of his less than welcomed guest.

"Jaken, prepare my bath and a simple supper served after. Have Toki attend to the girl's needs."

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken replied before scuttling off down a dimly lit corridor. Kagome watched the toad disappear and began wondering how far they were within the fortress. She felt as though she had walked for miles. Without thinking, she covered her mouth with a hand and yawned. Realising that the youkai lord was still standing beside her, Kagome blushed beet-red at her impolite action. Sesshoumaru was looking down at her in that highly annoying imperious way that made her feel no better than a slug. Instinctively, she glared back at him as if daring him to find fault with her tiredness.

To her surprise, he gave her a small smile. Before she could be sure it had been there, it was gone. Pushing the heavy door open easily, he walked into the room. Arching an eyebrow at her hesitance, he continued to take a degree of pleasure at her uncertainty and embarrassment. It appeared to Sesshoumaru that the easiest way to keep the girl quiet was to keep her off-balance as much as possible. However, he wondered if he would be able to pull it off before he might actually kill her to spare himself the trouble. She could certainly be highly aggravating at times.

"You will remain in this room until summoned. If you need to attend to your personal needs, Toki will accompany you," Sesshoumaru ordered in an almost bored tone. 

Kagome opened her mouth to say something when a small figure bustled past her and prostrated itself before the youkai lord.

"See that she is taken care of, Toki. And if you fail me, I will not hesitate in terminating you," Sesshoumaru continued his tone belying the clear meaning behind his words.

"Yes, my lord," came the squeaking reply. At the servant's answer, Sesshoumaru turned to look down at the girl once more. She had a slight frown and returned his look with a muted glare. Obviously, she had little desire to be confined.

"If you are not satisfied with my generous offer, I'm sure the dungeons below would be more accommodating," Sesshoumaru continued blandly to the suddenly anxious girl. "I will leave you now. Tomorrow, I will resume my interrogation." 

Stepping up close, he revelled in the sudden fear that welled up from her. Moving past to stand beside her, he lowered his voice into a near growl. "And don't think about lying, wench. I can smell its stink even as you speak the lies." A moment later, the door closed on her and Sesshoumaru made his way to his rooms for the night.

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After his departure, Kagome felt the despair well up within her and without caring about the maid's presence, crumpled to the floor in tears. Even as she sobbed, she tried to summon the strength within her to survive. Through her tears, she suddenly realised that someone was gently patting her shoulder. Sniffling and blinking away the tears, she realised that it was the maid Sesshoumaru had left in his place.

"Easy child," the voice cackled as it continued its gentle pats. "His Lordship may seem cruel but he is more generous than most. You must obviously intrigue him to bring you here. There has been no human walking these halls since the Grand Lady over 60 years ago."

"He threatened to kill me and almost choked me death several times!" Kagome burst out indignantly.

"But he didn't, did he?" the little youkai replied simply.

Kagome opened her mouth to say something but realised the futility of it. Sesshoumaru may have threatened her with death and nearly carried through with it several times but he had still looked after her in his own twisted way. Sighing heavily, Kagome wondered if she would ever figure out the youkai lord. But before she did, she wanted a nice hot bath and something to eat before bed.

"Umm," she began uncertainly. "Toki-san?"

The small youkai maid laughed at the address. "You're too kind, child. Call me Toki. Too grand an honour you bestow on this humble one. Anyway, let's see to your comfort first. You look like you could use a nice hot bath and a meal before a good night's rest."

"Thank you," Kagome paused before continuing. "Then please call me Kagome, Toki."

Another hoarse cackle sounded and Kagome soon found herself smiling with the servant. Toki tugged on her hand and Kagome followed the small youkai. Watching the squat form waddling ahead, it reminded her of Sesshoumaru's toady assistant. But unlike that nasty thing, Toki was friendly and seemed eager to lighten Kagome's heavy mood. As she stepped into the bath area, Kagome felt her worries slide off her shoulders and admiration seep in. The place was beautiful.

The floor was covered in a jade green stone that prevented her from slipping and instead of the usual wooden tub to soak in there was what appeared to be a hot spring instead. The bath area was separated by the hot spring from the washing area. Although the place was enclosed from the outside, there was no feeling of stuffiness from the steam rising out of the spring. Toki bustled about with the bathing things as Kagome found herself indulging in the one activity that relaxed her.

Toki had helped scrub her back before excusing herself. Requesting that Kagome call her once she was done, the maid left. Pouring the last wash-bucket over her well-scrubbed body, Kagome eagerly made her way to the hot spring that was softly gurgling to itself. Gently easing into it, Kagome let out a sigh of relief and delight. Although she hadn't intended to, Kagome found her thoughts wandering towards Sesshoumaru. Briefly, Kagome recalled Toki's comment about a human Grand Lady. Her curiosity now prickling, she made up her mind to get some background information on Sesshoumaru. No matter what, Kagome had no intention of facing the youkai lord unprepared.

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_Author's Notes: _

I'm still figuring out why I wrote the part about Fluffy's tail. I guess that after someone told me that it was a tail and not some fancy fur cloak, I was curious. Plus the fact that I saw how versatile it was when watching the anime where Inu Yasha was fighting Sesshoumaru for Tessaiga, it sold me. Well, Kagome would be rather curious about Fluffy's dress sense. How often do you see guys wearing furry boas [and no, not those guys] especially with their armour?

As for Toki, I intend for her to be more motherly than snooty. She's similar to Jaken in terms of species but very different in character. I've always wondered what a female Jaken would be like, but without the attitude problem. Guess, now I know. But I've never been one to utilise a two-bit character in my stories, so Jaken will take on greater significance as the story progresses. After all, he is Sesshoumaru's closest assistant and must certainly fulfil certain duties on his master's behalf. If you've seen the later episodes of the anime (after Rin's appearance), Jaken actually becomes less irritating. But that's just MY opinion.

So let me know what you think of this by dropping a little something in the box below. I'd love to know what you think of my description of his Fluffiness' tail! Till then, ja mata ne!


	6. Moonlit Reflections

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Disclaimers: I don't anything related to Inu Yasha, especially Sesshoumaru. Gods, but I feel like crying… ::sniffles::

Thank you:

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Crash, ceithleen, shikome kido mi, Mala Valvah, vegito044, Paper-Thin, Amarome, Cacat-angel, Shiren, dumdeedum, Nekoyasha, Daesy, pupb6 and Cin of an Angel.

Since ff.net's untimely if temporary demise of it's review functions a few days after the previous chapter's posting, those of you who'd left a review then will forever remain a mystery to me. But if nothing else, I'll dedicate this chapter to you and to those who've managed to leave one. Thanks everyone!

  


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Chapter 4: Moonlit Reflections

As Sesshoumaru walked down the corridor, he couldn't help but wonder if he had made the correct decision in bringing the girl here. Although he intended to proceed with the interrogation, he knew that the information would still be too little to satisfy his curiosity. Pushing open the doors to his rooms, he found Jaken waiting by his private bath house entrance with fresh clothing in hand. Making his way in, he quickly stripped and washed himself thoroughly. Although the girl had not smelt all that bad, the principle of it remained.

The ritual completed, Sesshoumaru eased himself into the hot spring that served as a natural bathtub. Allowing himself to relax, he soon found himself wondering about the girl under his roof once more. Since the death of his step-mother over sixty years previously, no other human had set foot within the fortress of the Western Lands. And today he had been the one to change that. Rubbing his temple in frustration, Sesshoumaru tried to force his thoughts away from that of the girl but it was pointless. There were too many questions to which he had no answer to.

His peace now disturbed, the youkai lord pulled himself out of the bath and dried himself off after shaking the extra water from his tail, before slipping into the fresh clothing Jaken had left behind. Striding out of the bath house, he made his way to the hot food placed on the small table by the balcony. The meal was quickly consumed before he poured himself a cup of sake as a necessary indulgence. For a moment, the brief memory of his father's human wife performing the same for her lord flashed through his mind. His hand suddenly tightened on the ceramic cup and it shattered. Staring down in disgust at the spilt drink, he then shoved himself away from the table. That memory was as swiftly crushed as the cup had been.

He heard Jaken's stammering but a low growl silenced the irritating toad. Moving out on to the balcony, Sesshoumaru took in the moon rising in the distance, its pale light dancing over his long silver hair. His tail soon relaxed beside him and he allowed the cool night breeze to carry the sweet scent of the forest to him. Although he would never admit it to anyone, the sights and smells of nature soothed him; a happy memory of his carefree younger days when he was a small pup learning about his abilities from his parents. 

Unfortunately, all that disappeared with his mother's death. She had died trying to protect her lord and mate against another powerful youkai lord. In grief for his beloved mate for the next few decades, his father began leaving the young Sesshoumaru to handle more and more of the duties required of a lord. Sesshoumaru had resented it at times, but his pride and acknowledgement of his birthright made the bitter pill easier to swallow. That was how his father had indirectly taught him about self-control and discipline. 

With only the two of them now, Sesshoumaru strove to perfect his emotional control. With each passing day, he began to limit his expressions of emotions. Joy, sadness, anger, pain, they were all seemingly erased from his being. And it had been one of the hardest battles he had ever fought. His deepest secret, the dark stain on his soul as he perceived it, was his hunger to taste and experience those very emotions he had so forcefully locked away. And he utterly detested the irony of it. But it was only with his human stepmother that those emotions had begun to resurface. 

By now, the moon was high in the sky and in its full glory. Forcing aside the painful memories, he once more looked towards the night sky as if seeking answers to the questions plaguing him. Sesshoumaru allowed himself to bathe in its beams as if to wash them away. The problem with being a youkai was the extremely long lifespan, granted that one was not killed too soon. He was indifferent to it, but given the absence of any heirs to the Western Lands and his current lack of interest in fulfilling that objective made it necessary to continue on. He held no death wish; the real problem came from the memories he carried within him. But as with any burden, it had to be borne until either forgotten or replaced by something else.

Leaning back against the wooden frame of the shoji, he somehow began to recall the day he had come across an old scroll of his father's. In it, the former taiyoukai had narrated a great battle that saw the destruction of several other taiyoukai and an exceptionally powerful miko with the power to slay them. If it had not been written in his father's hand, Sesshoumaru would have tossed it aside as a fairy tale to caution misbehaving pups. But there had been something about that scroll that made Sesshoumaru read it through carefully several times. And it was only at this moment that he realised it.

It struck him like a thunderbolt out of the blue. His father had meticulously described the great miko and Sesshoumaru suspected that even then, his father's fascination and strange affection for humans were already there. Closing his eyes, he recalled the almost poetic description of the miko of legend known as Midoriko.

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Hair darker than the moonless night,   
Her eyes held the soul of purity and light.   
Her gentle form graced the very land,   
And her tender smile comforted all blessed by it. 

But within this frail flesh, lay a power too great for one.   
Strength and beauty entwined, a slayer of youkai had arisen. 

Sesshoumaru had always envisioned what this human miko would have looked like. He wasn't interested in daydreaming about her but there was something strangely alluring about a human female wielding such fantastical powers. And until today, Sesshoumaru had no face to put to the miko's image. 

Wide-eyed at the almost insane thought that the human wench several doors down from his could actually match up to this legendary miko, Sesshoumaru gave in to an undignified snort of laughter. His mouth quirked upward in silent humour before he recalled the strange power that had called him to her side. That brought his mirth to a complete halt. That was the thing that was eating at his peace of mind. He had never felt such power, and it had apparently called out to him. Why was it so?

Pondering upon it, he eventually came to two possibilities. One was that the girl possessed some object that could summon youkai to her side. It was hardly likely but he could easily confirm it tomorrow. If she lied, he would simply search for it upon her person even stripping her if needed. The second was that she actually possessed the power within her, much like the miko. As far fetched as it may sound, he suddenly had to know. Frowning, he got to his feet and made his way to her room. He was too impatient to wait for the sun's rays to begin his interrogation.

The silence of the empty halls pressed down about the youkai lord as he made his way through them. Reaching the girl's room, he simply pushed open the heavy doors without consideration for the occupant within. He noted that the room was cast in shadows and near the window, the girl lay curled up comfortably under the blanket. Her breathing was deep and even, indicating that she was in a restful sleep. A small smirk curled his lips as he made his way to her side. She was going to get a rude awakening. He was feeling far from being polite about it.

Reaching down, he was about to grasp her shoulder to shake her awake when the moon slipped out from behind the cloud. It silver beams brightened the room almost as much as the sun and Sesshoumaru felt his breath catch in his throat. The pale light traced every contour of her face, the smooth forehead, the cute button nose and the softly pouting lips. Sesshoumaru's eyes unconsciously lingered on the last part as he took in the slumbering beauty before him. Her hair seemed to absorb the moon's light and glow with a strange luminescence.

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'Hair darker than the moonless night…'

Even as he stood there, her scent surrounded him. Almost intoxicating in its sweetness, it held the fearsome youkai lord captive. It was Spring and Summer combined, a delightful blend of flowers and crystal clear streams. It reminded Sesshoumaru of what the earth smelt like after a hard winter, a promise of hope for the coming richness. Breathing it in, he allowed it to permeate his senses. His mind remained frozen as he stared down at what could possibly be the reincarnation of that legendary miko all those centuries ago.

  


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Kagome felt herself drifting closer to consciousness despite her wish to remain asleep. A strange presence was nearby but she couldn't sense any threat from it. Unfortunately, her mind was now awakening and she slowly blinked sleep-heavy eyes open. The bright moonlight streamed in through her window and Kagome narrowed her eyes for a moment to accustom herself to it. Looking up once more, she suddenly realised that she was not alone. Before her, the tall silhouette of a man cast a long shadow across her bed. But what unnerved her the most were his eyes.

They burned with a strange fire that pierced her very soul. There was something so naked in that look that she couldn't help but draw her breath in sharply. But that very look also calmed her down even as they drew her in. There was a question in them and most of all a yearning that tugged at her spirit. He didn't mean her harm, but he needed something from her. And in that moment, Kagome wanted to give him that very thing that he wanted so desperately.

Sesshoumaru watched the girl as she awoke. A small part of him was pleased that she had sensed his presence but a greater part of him was disappointed. Asleep, the girl was almost beautiful beyond belief. Now awake, he could soon expect her shriek of outrage. Bracing himself for the vocal onslaught, he continued to watch her as she opened her eyes and blink. As she focused on him, Sesshoumaru was almost floored by the depths of her eyes. They appeared to swallow him in, asking for his surrender. And for a moment, he gave himself over to it.

Kagome was now very awake when she realised that the Sesshoumaru was the one standing there. For a moment, she was about to open her mouth to scream when she remembered his less than gentle response to loud noises. Instead, she kept her mouth shut and gripped the blankets tightly as though they could offer some protection from the youkai lord. Why on earth did he have to come here in the middle of the night? And why was he staring at her so intently? The questions were beginning to agitate her.

Sensing the change in her, Sesshoumaru mentally pulled back. The so-called magical moment had passed and now he had a panicking female on his hands. Allowing himself a little amusement at her expense, he bent down to the wide-eyed girl. As she was still lying down among the pillows, it was easy for him to intimidate her by caging her between his two arms placed on either side of her head. He stared into those eyes that had captured him moments before, now reflecting a rising terror. The slow feral smile that curved his lips sent Kagome's heart into her throat and she could barely breathe in fear when he leaned closer towards her, murmuring into her ear.

"You look good enough to eat, wench."

Kagome almost fainted at the remark and Sesshoumaru left as silently as he had entered. And for the rest of the night, the poor girl barely slept as horrifying thoughts of a hungry youkai lord plagued her.

  


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Author's Notes: 

First off, I apologise for the crappy poetry. I flunked it in school although I managed to score a decent 'B' in general Lit including Shakespeare. I'm one of those artistically insensitive ones who just don't get it. However, one small consolation is that sometimes I can actually delude myself into thinking that I can be somewhat poetic. Yeah, the sheer arrogance of my ego consumes me at times. Okay, I'll stop now...

Okay, is Sess really very Sess? I don't quite know actually. I mean the way he's portrayed in the anime vs. the way he is portrayed in the manga strikes me as being quite different. I mean, the guy does smile and he does look amused at certain things [rather nasty things actually]. Finally, I decided on a blend of both. Sess gets to joke about a bit and keep Kagome off-kilter. I know I've made mention of his supposed past and with little detail. There's a reason so you'll have to wait for my take of Sesshy's puppyhood days. And on to the next point…

Is Kagome very Kagome-ish? Hmm, I suppose she does appear rather whiny if easily scared but then again I have my reasons. She's a tough girl but she's not dealing with a potty-mouth hanyou cursed with the rosary beads. To handle a full youkai who could snap your neck without thinking twice, would require some care. Kagome has had a very difficult day and she's not fully equipped to handle the seemingly temperamental youkai lord. 

And where, pray tell, am I going with this story? Honestly speaking, I'm still in the parking lot of ideas looking for one. I do know what I want but getting there is very difficult. I've got a very bad habit of thinking really grand plots but then realise that I have to WRITE it out into a cohesive and coherent piece. Argh! Why can't I have one of those incredible abilities of typing out all my ideas then sorting through them to form a whole before writing a story that works? When pink piggies rule the skies, I suppose.

So please leave a review to tell me what you think. I don't mind constructive criticism but please, not flaming. It's just not polite. Till then, ja mata ne!

Just to add on: I wrote this chapter a few months back and while things have changed since then, I've realised that I have to stick to my idea of what Kag, Sess and the other characters are like. I've found that while constructive criticism is good, it tends to make me change my mind about things too much. Stupid me for not being consistent enough. That doesn't mean that I don't/won't listen to it, it simply means that unless I can afford to rewrite a lot of things, I'll have to settle on my interpretation of the characters. It may appear rather cliched at times, but I'm hoping that maybe I can take it beyond that through my storytelling.

I'm really not all that original in my thinking - I just like messing about with a story that's already been/being told under the pretence of calling it an AU. Am I lazy? Quite so, but I like it as it doesn't require a lot of intellectual stamina to churn out a chapter or to chase a plot bunny as it hops leisurely by. Simply put, this fic will contain certain events and characters that have made their appearances in either the manga or anime. What I'm doing is basically picking them up, dropping them in a stew of ideas and hoping I've added enough 'spice' to make it good. 

I hope I'm not making excuses to my dearest reviewers who've taken so much time out to offer me good advice and thoughtful critiques. I just hope that you won't give up on me while I 'stumble around' a little more with the next few chapters. Yeah, I've also guiltily indulged myself with a gratuitous chapter involving Sess, Kag, a bathtub and lots of soap. Hmm, maybe I should take it out and use it as a 'side story' *chuckles evilly* But seriously, I sincerely hope to be able to accomplish a more polished piece of work with the current chapter I'm writing and onwards (or embarrass myself in the attempt).

Till then,

~ Bern.


	7. A Dark Hope Reborn

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Disclaimers: ::checks mailbox:: Nope, still don't own them. Ah well, better luck next time. =)

Thanks to:

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Dumdeedum, Ashleigh, shikome kido mi, Demonish Angel, Shiren, Crash, Tidus, Shanahia, Massao-na-Mizu, Tina, Mala Valvah, Kenneth, vegito044 and gatogirl.

I'm glad that you took time out to leave your thoughts and comments on the story. I hope to continue to live up to everyone's expectations and especially my own. =)

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Chapter 5: A Dark Hope Reborn

Far north of the Western Lands, a seated figure watched the same moon make its journey across the night sky. Unlike the youkai lord, he brooded upon the miko that once possessed the fabled Shikon no Tama. His quest to claim that very jewel had failed and resulted in it being consumed on the very pyre she had lain. And that frustrated had him greatly, for he needed that very jewel to ensure his greatest wish – to become the greatest youkai in the Four Lands. 

This was because Naraku lived an uncertain existence as a tainted half-youkai. He had been created through his unholy and impure human desires to be consumed by the youkai themselves. It was largely his will to succeed that the man once known as Onigumo retained some aspects of his 'human' self. But as for how long, even he could not tell. Each day was a threat to succumb to the youkai demands within, and he couldn't afford losing himself – not on their terms, that is.

Something appeared out of the night; its form sharpening as it approached at a great speed. On closer inspection it seemed to be a boat that seated a petite figure. Naraku straightened and narrowed his eyes at the intruder. Just before it appeared to crash into the balcony, the feather boat shrank and the woman gracefully stepped onto floor. Smirking slightly, she replaced the now small feather into her hairpiece before turning to her lord and master.

"Missed me, my lord?" she asked, her smirk widening further.

"Not unless you make your absence worthwhile, Kagura," Naraku replied laconically.

"Ah, maybe I will receive a warm homecoming with the news I bring," Kagura replied cheekily.

Naraku eyed the youkai female before him. He was not overly fond of Kagura despite having been 'born' of him. She was too sly, too cunning and she kept him on his toes whenever she was around. It was no secret that Kagura herself held little love for her master, his only hold over her being his threat of killing her by destroying her heart. And until she held her heart in her own hands, she grudgingly carried out his orders, whatever they might be.

"Well? I have little interest in wasting the rest of the night waiting for your news," Naraku said coldly.

Kagura pouted a little in mock disappointment before relenting. She could only push the bastard so far before he punished her with his hold on her heart – literally. Leaning back slightly against the balcony rails, she quickly got her thoughts in order before speaking.

"It seems that the Lord of the Western Lands has found a human female by the ancient Bone-Eater's Well. Judging from the fact that he ran straight to her across most of the forest, I would say that she has more than a passing interest for him. What was even more intriguing was that not only did he save her from a snake youkai, he also brought her home." 

Kagura watched the flicker of Naraku's thoughts as they crossed his face. What she had omitted to tell him was the strange power that she had felt with the human girl's startling appearance. No, Naraku did not need to know everything. Besides, he seems to have a sudden interest in the Sesshoumaru's new human companion. No doubt his twisted mind was coming up with all sorts of nasty plans to turn the tables on that troublesome youkai lord.

Sesshoumaru had only known of Naraku's presence when he had intruded into the Western Lands to search for the Shikon no Tama. Sesshoumaru had tolerated the Jewel's presence within his lands only because the miko Kikyo was powerful enough to handle the various foolish youkai that had tried to steal it, and so, chose to distance himself from the issue. But he was not so uninvolved as to interfere with Naraku's attempts to steal it. 

Sesshoumaru had arrived too late to prevent Kikyo from receiving her mortal wound but had managed to drive Naraku off before he could seize the Jewel. To further add to the problem, the youkai lord made sure to have his presence felt at the funeral to ensure that he would not return to disrupt it. Naraku had blamed his problems on Sesshoumaru and even now, itched to get his revenge on that arrogant youkai. It did not help that Naraku himself received a serious injury from Kikyo he was still recovering from. 

"Are you telling me that Sesshoumaru is consorting with a _human_ female?" Naraku arched an eyebrow at the lounging Kagura.

"Yes. And quite pretty too. She seemed to be rather affectionate with the youkai as well," Kagura replied nonchalantly as she flicked open her fan. 

She watched the man's thoughts flicker once more and inwardly smiled. She hoped that Naraku would do something stupid to rile the youkai lord and thus ensure his demise. Kagura had seen how easily Sesshoumaru appeared to take out his opponents and very few youkai ever wanted to provoke him on his territory. And of those foolish enough to try, none of them survived. If Naraku were to challenge Sesshoumaru, Kagura believed that she would soon be free of her manipulative master.

Looking off into the room's darkness, Naraku called for Kanna to present her all-seeing mirror. A pale shadow approached that took the form of a softly glowing girl. She held a mirror before her, it's clear surface reflecting nothing but whiteness. Standing before him, the mirror's surface began to clear and Naraku's eyes widened at the vision it presented. Kagura was forgotten as he took in Sesshoumaru's actions with regards to the human female. 

"Kukukukuku!" came the delighted chortle as he leant back. He couldn't see the girl too well but judging from the youkai lord's very close contact with her, she must be more than pretty. Sesshoumaru was after all, a very particular individual. Kagura watched Naraku's delight and once more smirked inwardly. How fortunate that they had witnessed such an intimate moment between the youkai lord and his human companion. Deep inside, Kagura silently voiced the thought that gave her strength.

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'I hope you take the bait, Naraku. I can't wait to see Sesshoumaru rip your foul hide to shreds!'

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Within the forests of the Western Lands

A flickering campfire revealed the solitary figure hunched by it contemplating the flames that licked at the wood. Despite the relative warmth of the night, he kept the cloak snug about his shoulders. His left hand was idly rubbing the gloved right as he continued to stare within the flames. The sudden sharp crackling of the wood roused him sufficiently to add a couple more logs to the fire. The flames rose higher and he settled back down with a sigh.

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'So close…'

Miroku couldn't believe the earlier energy he had felt as he was walking towards the village of the late miko Kikyo. He had hoped to find a cure for his cursed right hand at the village but it had been futile. It seemed that the only way to truly avoid his dreaded fate was to kill the one who had cursed him. Miroku felt like a coward at times, trying to put aside the fact that he had no choice but to defeat the dreaded hanyou. Also, it didn't help matters in that he had no idea where the bastard was hiding.

His thoughts now returned to that of the strange power he had felt while approaching the village. The village's resident miko Kaede had also sensed its potent aura and they had immediately made their way towards the Bone-Eater's Well. But by the time they arrived, there was only the carcass of a dead snake youkai. The energy had already faded and there were hardly any clues to follow. Agreeing with Kaede that such power needed to be tracked had resulted in him currently seating in the middle of a forest with only his thoughts for company.

Miroku had sensed the faint trace of a powerful youkai and kept his wits about him. However, it had abruptly disappeared and left the man stranded. Reaching beside him, he shifted his staff of office so that it would be within easy reach if he was attacked in the middle of the night. However, the forest was calm and soft night noises reflected the serenity. And on some instinctual level, Miroku believed that it would be due to the lingering aura of the earlier youkai. And there was only one youkai within the Western Lands that left such a clear imprint – Sesshoumaru.

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Across the forest where Miroku was relaxing for the night, another camper fed more wood to the fire. Curled beside it, a small two-tailed cat youkai yawned before snuggling down to sleep by her human companion. Unlike Miroku, this one was female and she glanced at her youkai companion before lying down beside the softly purring cat. Her head was resting on top a curled arm and she stared into the flames that danced and licked at the wood. Her thoughts, however, were not pleasant. 

Despite appearances, Sango was a very strong-willed woman who knew what she wanted. And what she wanted was to find her missing younger brother Kohaku and seek revenge for the massacre of her village. Sango was still struggling to understand why they had been attacked. She knew that most youkai very rarely hunt in packs and the attack on her village appeared too well co-ordinated to be a random youkai killing spree. Besides, the people in her village were more than adequately trained to fight off attacking youkai.

But the thought that hurt her most was the fact that she hadn't been home that night of the attack. She had been at a distant village taking care of a small youkai infestation. Kohaku had wanted to come and that memory sent another sharp stab into her heart. Sango remembered telling him to continue his practice and the boy had grudgingly agreed. After that, all she came home to was a mass grave.

She had buried each body when she realised that Kohaku's was missing. Her mind puzzled over this but it had stirred a hope that perhaps he may have escaped. Together with Kirara the cat youkai, they had combed the entire area several times over but to no avail. She could find no trace of her brother. Despite this, Sango vowed to continue her search for her brother as well as the perpetrators of the slaughter of her village. And so for the past two months, she had continued with her quest.

As she continued to lie there, her thoughts began to wander towards what she had seen earlier that evening. She had been walking through the forest searching for firewood when Kirara had voiced a low growl. Dropping the wood, she had unhitched Hiraikotsu in preparation of a possible attack. It was then that she had glanced up to witness an unusual sight. It appeared to be a silver-haired man dressed in a white kimono standing before a large pack animal. They were flying westwards and Sango marvelled at their mode of transport.

However, the interesting thing about the small company was of a girl who was crouched at the feet of the tall youkai. A smaller toad-like creature was standing by the pack beast attempting to imitate the regal stance of the youkai in front. It was strangely amusing. However, Sango had to suppress the urge to help the girl as she knew that to do so would only ensure her death. She wasn't stupid enough to face off against the Lord of the Western Lands – she had a quest to fulfil.

As the calm of the forest began to lull her to sleep, Sango couldn't help wondering about the dark-haired girl seated at the youkai lord's feet. As far as she knew, he barely tolerated humans and would sooner rip of her head as look at her. Apparently, that girl had something in her favour and Sango truly hoped for her sake that it wasn't what she thought it might be. Youkai were generally deadly in their treatment of humans and only the taiyoukai tolerated them sufficiently to prevent an extinction of the human race.

But there were exceptions to the rule and Sango wondered if after all this time, Sesshoumaru had mellowed enough to accept the presence of humans near him. She snorted at the silly thought before quietening as Kirara stirred restlessly for a moment. Sighing, Sango forced the unsettling thoughts to the back of her mind and focused on what was important at this point in time. A couple of minutes later, soft snores joined that of her partner as the moon continued its vigilance from the heavens.

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Author's Notes:

A slightly difficult piece to write as I didn't want to repeat too much history. I did modify them for the purposes of this story and things are going to pick up within the next couple of chapters. I think I skimped on the chapter's presentation. It's not as good as I hoped it would but then again, it's the best I can do. I like writing more on Sess and Kag's interaction and action than I do on overall plot. Bad girl… If I'd wanted to do that, I should just write one-shots. *lol* I'm also still working on how to present the overall Sess/Kag thing without embarrassing myself too much. As much as I love our titular hanyou, I'm an ardent devotee of Sess/Kag fics. 

I hope that you would leave your comments regarding this fic. I'm always interested to know what people think of my work and how I can improve it. It is also a very good motivator to press on and not let the story die off. I'm always very worried that such a thing would happen and have the evidence to prove it. So please save me from the black hole of writer's block and laziness by motivating me to continue. Ja mata ne!


	8. Crime and Punishment

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Disclaimers: I own only Toki and Sesshoumaru's hot tub. If you want, I'll throw in the study and bathroom as payment for borrowing the rest. But I'm keeping the tub.

Thank you:

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Shikome kido mi - Naraku's desire in the manga versus this fic's presentation is going to be slightly different. I'm utilising his human greed to have his cake and eat it too. If he were to become a full youkai by removing his innate Onigumo-ness, it's like copping out off himself. The Onigumo here is still very much in control and desires to remain so. 

As to Inuyasha's existence - he doesn't exist here. As for Sango's involvement, Naraku wants to eliminate anything that could possibly stand in his way - and a village of trained exterminators could put a crimp in his plans. The pack beast is not the two-headed dragon beast. It'll appear later in the story. Here, it's like Toutousai's ox but with two eyes. I hope this makes it clearer for everybody.

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Crash4 - Don't worry, I promise not to leave this story hanging high and dry. At the most, I'll post all the available chapters. I've completed the first part so at the very least the Tessaiga story will be resolved. Thanks for your support and encouragement!

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Flambeau-Willow - Well, here's a chapter with a LOT of Sess/Kag interaction. It's just an insert with some continuity but it can stand on it's own as a one-shot with minimal editing. Hope I manage to pull it off without too much embarrassment!

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Familia-Ficz - Thanks for your praise! I'm blushing so red… Well, I'm constantly trying to bring Sess' character out in a way that is not too cold but neither is it too warm and fluffy. It really is a tightrope.

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Tina, gatogirl, Shanahia, Pallas Athena1 and Lunatic Pandora1 - Your words of encouragement certainly inspire me to continue with the story despite my incredibly busy schedule. I hope this chapter continues to meet the standard. Thanks!

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Chapter 6: Crime and Punishment

Sesshoumaru lingered over his early morning breakfast, his thoughts distant and contemplative. Jaken shuffled in periodically to clear the empty dishes and top up his master's cup with hot fragrant tea. He knew better than to ask his lord about the thoughts on his mind. This was a different silence from the usual and Jaken respectfully kept his distance until summoned. That was why he almost dropped the teapot when Sesshoumaru called out to him.

"Jaken, have the wench brought to my study after her breakfast." 

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," squeaked the small youkai before disappearing out the door. 

Standing up from the table, Sesshoumaru loosened his shoulder muscles before allowing his tail to drape in its customary position. Walking towards the study, he wondered for the umpteenth time why he had done what he did last night. Shaking his head to clear those repetitive thoughts away, he impatiently pushed open the door to his study. The muted sunlight within the serenity of the room soon calmed him and he began to peruse the various documents and missives from the various provinces and territories. It was only the tentative knock on the door that drew his attention from his work.

"Enter," he replied and the door swung open to reveal Jaken.

"I have brought the wench as you have requested, Sesshoumaru-sama. Are there any further instructions for me?" Jaken asked as he bowed low before his lord.

"Settle the accounts owed me by the Yamamura village. I will summon you when required," came the stern reply.

"Yes, sire!" Jaken squawked before shoving a very reluctant Kagome into the youkai lord's presence. 

Kagome managed to catch herself before she fell face down and forced herself to straighten her spine. After what had happened last night, Kagome was wondering if she should brave the dangers of the forest rather than remain in the company of a hungry dog youkai. For the hundredth time, she wondered what bad karma she had inherited from a previous life to result in her current predicament. She inwardly sighed before raising her eyes to meet that of the silver-haired man before her.

Watching the emotions play across her face was an interesting experience. He could smell the fear she carried and he smiled inwardly. But there was more to it than that. She looked tired but there was a glint of a challenge within the brown depths. Despite himself, Sesshoumaru was almost eager for this meeting.

"Approach me, wench," came the cold voice and Kagome almost jumped at it. She forced herself to stand before his seated figure and felt her lips thin in worry and increasing defiance. She was beginning to get very, _very_ tired of being called 'wench'. First by this guy, then by that irritating toad-like creature that had escorted her to the study. It didn't help matters that Jaken had smacked her shins a couple of times to get her to move faster. She owed the little troll some pain - big time.

Sesshoumaru noticed the tensing of the girl's shoulders and a fire beginning to flare within her eyes. She was thinking of something that was fanning the anger within. Vaguely he remembered her earlier insistence that he call her by her name as opposed to 'wench'. No doubt this was triggering her fury. And Sesshoumaru was waiting to see the outcome of it. This human female was a curiosity he couldn't seem to resist. And he wanted to know everything he could about her before removing her from his presence permanently. It didn't take long.

"My name is Kagome! Ka-go-me. Is it that difficult to remember or do the people here have exceedingly short memory spans?" Kagome forgot herself and allowed the pent-up frustrations to overwhelm her. "It is not 'wench', 'girl' or 'bitch'! It is Kagome! Do you want me to write it down and stick it on my forehead so that you can read it for yourselves?"

Sesshoumaru eyed the girl as he began to sense a sudden change in her ki. The initial fear had vanished and behind the anger was another force. As she began her rant, it swirled about in an almost tangible wave. Sesshoumaru had never seen such raw energy coiling about a human - it was more that of higher level youkai who used it as a means of intimidation or preparing for battle. Instinctively, he began to heighten his own ki in response to hers.

Kagome paused in her tirade to take a breath when she felt something strange in the air about her. She couldn't see anything but a feeling of power seemed to be surrounding her. Puzzled, she glanced at the youkai lord and saw that he had risen from his seat. What alarmed her though was the unusual stance he took as well as the intense focus of his amber eyes now trained on hers. Blinking in surprise, only one thought crossed her mind.

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'Uh-oh!'

Kagome dived as a silver blur shot towards where she had been standing a moment before. The energy she felt earlier had doubled in intensity and she had little time to ponder when a low growl alerted her to the youkai crouched by the door. Scrambling to her feet, Kagome edged back, her earlier anger replaced by fear. His eyes watched her closely, the earlier amber now bleeding red. The only thing separating them was the desk he had been seated at. And that could not be considered a barrier. In that moment, she saw the glint in his eyes, the only warning he gave before he launched himself towards her.

Later, Kagome could only recall that she had raised her hands in a futile gesture to stop him. What happened next was spectacular if a little confusing. The only thing she could compare it to was her earlier experience with that snake youkai from the well. The only difference here was that she saw the physical result of the energy blast that shot out of her to slam into the attacking youkai lord. For Sesshoumaru, the experience was something he had no desire to ever repeat. And he was one who learnt from the first lesson.

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Jaken and Toki heard the extremely loud crash from the direction of their master's study. For a moment, neither moved as they were stunned by the violence of the sound. Snapping out of their momentary stupor, they raced down the corridors to quickly investigate the cause. Skidding round the corner, Toki slammed in the suddenly still Jaken and both crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs. Looking up from their position on the ground, they couldn't believe their eyes at the scene they witnessed.

Their lord and master lay among the wreckage of his study door and table. Apparently, the force from his flying body also took out part of the surrounding structure of the doorway and several broken beams hung limply from the ceiling. A faint cloud of dust hung in the now still air giving the scene an almost ghostly feel. Faint creaks sounded as the roof overhead adjusted to the sudden change in the support beams. And standing with her hands limply outstretched was the human girl. For the two servants, the scene appeared to be very wrong.

Sesshoumaru couldn't suppress the groan that escaped as he struggled to push the blackness attempting to cloud his vision. His entire body ached as though he had been slammed through a brick wall… wait, his study door? Blinking slowly, he realised the position he was in. The broken wood clattered to the floor as he attempted to stand. He could smell his blood coming from the various cuts and splinters that had embedded themselves into his flesh. Damn but it was going be a bother to remove them. And his tail was filthy, curse it.

Still seated rather ungainly on the wood-strewn floor, he returned his attention to the stunned female in the remains of his study. She had her mouth opened in a small 'o' and her eyes looked glazed over. Sesshoumaru was almost amused at the dumbstruck picture she made. Unfortunately, he didn't dare attempt to break her neck for the insult she had shown him. The recent experience showed him how well she had managed to protect herself. The power within her was incredible.

Feeling his strength returning, Sesshoumaru stood up. The girl tensed and he deliberately made a show of dusting his clothing. He didn't want to provoke her anymore, the next blast would probably rip him in half. He sensed his servants peering round the corner and threw Jaken a 'come here now' glare. The toad quickly scuttled over for his instruction before scooting off to prepare the bath ordered. Deliberately keeping a calm, neutral mask on, Sesshoumaru entered the study to stand before the girl who had bested him in the fight. He could sense that her power had abated and the uneasy calm of her ki proved it.

"Your power is potent, Kagome. Now, follow me," Sesshoumaru calmly said before turning to walk through the gaping hole that now marked the study entrance. She had woken from her stupor and was regarding him with a mixture of fear, amazement and concern. He could understand the first two emotions but the concern piqued his curiosity. Surely she couldn't be worried about his health? No matter, what had happened served to cement the fact that this girl possessed powers strong enough to rival his – perhaps stronger. And Sesshoumaru was honest enough to admit that to himself especially after the recent event.

Kagome tried to process what had happened but her mind simply blocked out the incident for the moment. It did however, latch on to what he said. _'He called me by my name!'_ The thought seemed to perk her and she felt oddly at peace. It also sent a tiny tingle down her spine as she recalled the sound of her name as he said it. _'His voice is really mellow,_' the thought came to mind. This then brought her back to the incident last night. Kagome would rather die before admitting that Sesshoumaru's presence in her room then had actually sent more than just a shiver of fear through her.

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"YOU WANT ME TO DO _WHAT_?!"

The shrill exclamation seemed to ricochet off the walls and set up loud vibrations within the taiyoukai's head. Narrowing his eyes in annoyance, he released a low growl to get her attention. They were standing at the doorway of the Sesshoumaru's bathing chambers and Kagome had refused to take another step within. She had seemed subdued and a faint blush tinged her cheeks as she followed him. Her refusal to meet his eyes pricked at his curiosity. However, that had vanished the instant he had told her what he wanted her to do.

"I absolutely refuse to! It's-it's not proper," she stammered indignantly. Sesshoumaru wanted to roll his eyes at the excuse. "Why don't you let Jaken do it? He seems to be really keen on looking after you."

The fur on his tail bristled at the mention of his retainer looking after him in the way he wanted it. Jaken was not gentle with either hair or fur since he had neither. Sesshoumaru generally cared for himself and very rarely allowed any other person to touch him. But given the fact that Kagome had slammed him through the door together with his study table, he was determined to make her pay for it. And the best way in his opinion was to have her groom his dirty hair and fur. Besides, it was the best way to keep her continually off-balanced.

"You damaged my property and insulted the Lord of the Western Lands. A crime such as that demands instant execution. I don't believe that you are all that eager to face death," he stated humourlessly, secretly enjoying the look of horror that crossed her face at the threat. The indecision warred within her and he watched the battle in faint amusement. Sesshoumaru then pressed his advantage by hitting below the belt – he appealed to her conscience.

"Your attack has not only made me filthy but it has also injured me. I will require your assistance in tending to it."

It worked. Her eyes had widened at the word 'injured' and he could feel the guilt welling up from her. _'This female is so weak and trusting. How can she possess such power within her?'_ She bit her lower lip before nodding slowly in agreement. Stepping into the changing area, he waited for her to remove the dusty garments from his body. Arching his eyebrow at the sudden stricken look, he smirked slightly. His tail unwound itself from his right shoulder to rest in a thick pile by his feet. He noticed that her eyes followed its progress in amazement and her hands reach out to catch it.

He had tensed himself at her touch but it was gentle. She obviously had experience in handling fur. The thought prompted another less pleasant one – where had she learnt to? Pushing the thought aside he began to undo the ties to his clothing.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked in a trembling voice. Her hands still cradled his tail but they were stiff.

"I'm removing my clothes."

"Must you?"

"Yes. Would there be some other reason for me not to do so?" It was this question that caused Kagome to drop his tail. Sesshoumaru stripped quickly and saw that she had turned her back to him. A wider smirk graced his features and he walked towards the filled washbasins and swiftly scrubbed himself down. All the while, Kagome resolutely maintained her stiff-backed posture as the soft sloshing continued behind her. He soon finished and made his way to the steaming tub. Sinking into the water, he allowed himself to relax. The girl remained with her back to him and he ignored her as the heat soothed the injured muscles and cleansed his skin.

Kagome couldn't believe that she was standing in a bathroom with a guy barely a couple of metres away lounging in a hot tub. It was like one of those weird and embarrassing dreams she'd had some time back. Only that dream had progressed further than where she was right now. But then again, how certain could she be that it _wouldn't_? Her hands were alternately clenching and relaxing, her anxiety mounting by the minute. She could feel the need to run out of the room beginning to overwhelm her.

"Kagome, wash my hair."

At the sound of his deep voice, she nearly passed out from the shock that jolted through her system. Struggling to calm her madly skipping heart, she peeked to see if he was decent. The water stopped at his shoulders and his hair had been left outside the tub. Despite her anxiety, Kagome was attracted by the silvery strands. She had wanted to touch them from the moment she had seen them and now the opportunity had presented itself. She found a stool and small washbasin before sitting by his hair. Now where was she going to get the water? Oh… Damn it.

Tentatively standing by his tub, Kagome held the washbasin out for him to fill it. His response was to simply crack open a single golden eye before ignoring her. Kagome fumed at the blatant disregard. Her anger flared briefly and she plunged the basin into the tub. The hot water stung her for a moment but she quickly removed a basin full. The water slopped and for a moment she debated whether to dump it over his head. Temptation was too great and a moment later, the mighty Lord of the Western Lands was spluttering from the dumped water.

"What in the seven hells was that for?!" 

"You wanted me to wash your hair, right? I had to get it wet first," came the smart reply. Blinking the water out of his eyes, he took in the hands on her hips and the almost smug look on her face. A growl rumbled in his chest and the smugness disappeared. She huffed and seated herself behind his now soaked hair. 

Kagome found a bottle of mildly scented liquid and quickly lathered it in her palms. She grinned as she began to work into his hair, the way he looked coughing and sputtering was just so funny. As she allowed the memory to replay itself in her head, her hands continued to work through the silky strands. As Kagome indulged in her favourite memory since her arrival in 'bad karma' land, Sesshoumaru had to stifle the urge to moan softly as her small hands massaged his scalp.

He had meant to teach her a lesson and even shock her but wondered if he had suckered himself as well. The way she ran her hands through his hair and the firm yet gentle massage of his scalp was just too good. Her lack of claws worked in his favour as it prevented any possible injury. Even when Sesshoumaru washed his hair, he considered it more of a chore due to his need to be careful. But with Kagome, he could take his pleasure from her deft yet gentle fingers. Without realising it, Sesshoumaru was now purring in delight.

The sound brought Kagome to the present. For a moment, she wondered what it was before realising that it was almost similar to what Buyo made when he had his fur stroked. Kagome's mouth opened and a smile curved across her face. This was just so cute! He was like a much bigger version of Buyo. Taking it as a challenge to see if she could make him purr louder, she redoubled her energy. True enough, his purrs increased in frequency and became deeper in volume. Unfortunately for Kagome, she was tiring. Giving him one last scalp rub, she stopped.

Sesshoumaru was barely aware of what he was doing. The hot soothing water coupled with the most incredible scalp massage had effectively reduced him to an exceedingly mellow individual. The tingle began to fade and only when Kagome dunked the basin into the tub did he rouse himself from his stupor. He noticed to soft smile on her lips and vaguely wondered at it. Her ki was calm and a hint of happiness danced along it. He felt the warm water gently sluice its way down his hair and he instinctively tilted his head further back. He closed his eyes and allowed his other senses free reign.

Soft, damp hands brushed against his forehead before the fingers slicked their way down through the wet strands. Another dunk into the tub and the final rinse was complete. He heard her move away and felt a quick regret that it was all over. Inwardly sighing, he pulled himself out off the tub. He heard her squeak in shock but ignored it. Reaching for the towel, he was about to wipe his face when he saw her red face looking away. A wicked thought entered his head and he decided to get back at her for his earlier soaking - he shook his water-sodden tail.

"GYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

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Author's Notes: 

This was a fun chapter to write! I've always wanted to do a bathroom scene with Sesshy and now I got my wish! I guess most of you are wondering why he's so lenient on Kagome. Well, she literally blasted him through a door into the next wall so he's learnt not too scare her too much. And because his pride's too strong, he had to find another way of getting back at her.

I've been reading the manga recently and have realised that aside from his fight scenes with Inu Yasha, he actually smiles fairly often in the earlier volumes. He also appears more child-like with the round features and it's only during the Rin chapter that he starts to look more matured. Compared to the anime, I prefer the manga one more with regards to this story. But I find the anime one WAY sexier… and the VOICE! *melts*

Sesshoumaru appears more tolerant simply because there is no hanyou brother to piss him off. I love Inu-chan but because I intend this to be a very strict Sess/Kag fic, our favourite hanyou won't make an appearance. [Well, at least not in the near future. I try not to be too rigid with my story] I want to make it light-hearted as I believe Sess has a hidden playful streak within. And Kagome would be the one to find it. What do you think?

Anyway, I hope you can let me know what you think of the story so far. I like reviews as they let me know what I'm doing right or wrong. So please tell me what you think of my fic – I would really appreciate it. Till then, ja mata ne!


	9. The Hidden Blade – Tessaiga

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Disclaimers: *opens mailbox* Damn… still no Sesshy. Just have to try again.

Thank you:

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Shikome kido mi - It's an interesting experience to ponder, then write about the entire Sess/Kag relationship dynamics. The fangirl in me wants to indulge in a lot of whimsy but the more plot-driven side of me wants to give the story some backbone. I'm honest and not shy to admit that I love reading my own work once it's done, will rarely find fault with it. I don't take things too seriously as I then find the 'fun' element diminishing. I'm glad that you still consider my story entertaining enough to want to continue reading it. You offer an interesting perspective that I can't visualise simply because of the writer's blindspot. I hope that this chapter will move the plot along even if it's really not one of my better ones.

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Black Rose Lady - I'm glad you approve my blending of the anime and manga Sesshoumaru. I couldn't fit just one of them in as he was, and so decided to 'redesign' him in that form. If it makes it easier to visualise him, he's more masculine (anime) but has a more obvious sense of humour (manga). Although, it may be argued that Sesshy's sense of humour may be more morbid than playful, we'll let it be. I think I've got enough on my plate without obsessing too much about how accurately I should portray him.

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Citryne - Is mine really one of the first "What if Kag met Sess before Inuyasha" fic you've come across? Well, I'll admit that I've not exactly come across that many as well. I just like the whole idea of Sess and Kag pairing up as opposed to the canon Inu-Kag couple. As much as you seem eager for an Inuyasha appearance to complicate matters, I'm afraid that it won't happen. Inuyasha *may* appear but how and where is something I'm not planning to reveal anytime soon.

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Claudia - Well, nobody seemed to want to talk about Sesshy's tail so I just had to do it. And like Kagome, I too think about his rear, though to a much greater degree…. =)

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Familia-Ficz - Yes, Sess' voice is just too good to be true. Really makes your heart go thumpity-thump. Hmm, Sesshy's see-through shirt shot? Interesting… Now I've got to go check it out. By the way, since when did he become your husband? He's mine!

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Pallas Athena1 - Do you really believe that Sess is going to treat Kagome as his equal that soon? Sure he may have been blasted through the door of his study but it could mean that she possessed a strange, threatening power to his position. Anything can happen…

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Lunatic Pandora1, Noir, Saria4, iram, Katt, Sesshy lover, Cj, Natori, Circe-Asteria, Nekiochan, Silver Dragonfly, Mala Valvah, Flambeau-Willow, Howe the Brown Cow, luckyneko, Aira^o^, Hinoke, dumdeedum - Thanks for your encouraging words! I certainly plan to take this story further and hopefully not disappoint all my readers out there.

*** The previous chapter certainly pushed up the number of reviews. I've finally pushed this past 100 reviews! *swoons*

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Chapter 7: The Hidden Blade – Tessaiga

Over the next few days it became routine for Kagome to groom Sesshoumaru's hair and tail. While she still balked at having to be there while he took his bath, she soon learnt to take it in her stride. After all, he had been providing her with room and board since her arrival in this strange time and place. Since the incident with the broken study door, the other servants had begun to address her by her given name. It was a refreshing change from being called 'wench' and 'girl' but Kagome still felt uncertain of her place within Sesshoumaru's domain. And now, thinking of the tall silver-haired youkai lord was starting to occupy more and more of her thoughts.

Sesshoumaru was polite yet he still maintained his distance. The unreadable mask he constantly wore irked her and Kagome wanted nothing more than to rip it from his face. She knew he had a sense of humour, the wet tail incident from the first bath proved it. She had caught the brief grin after rubbing water out of her eyes. Aside from the bath times, she had to put up with his curt replies and long absences. Kagome had only Toki for company but even then, the servant had her chores to do. Kagome was beginning to feel very lonely.

"_Oh stop moping and look for the guy_!" she reprimanded herself and got up from the garden bench_. "If nothing else, it'll take your mind off things._" Satisfied with her decision, she made her way to his newly mended study. 

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Sesshoumaru sensed her presence approaching and wondered at what she wanted. Aside from the baths and grooming to keep her in place, he had essentially kept out of her way. He was busy researching the nature of her power and a means to control it. The girl was too dangerous to keep around without some form of restraint and Sesshoumaru knew that she had an explosive anger – in more ways than one. Jaken had appeared and was now arranging several new scrolls for his reading.

"Jaken, show the girl in. She's at the door," Sesshoumaru commanded, his eyes on the ancient scroll before him.

Jaken scuttled towards the door and opened it. Kagome had a surprised look on her face and her fist was raised with the intention of knocking. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama is expecting you," Jaken said self-importantly and stepped aside to let her through. The fact that he no longer called her 'wench' was a small triumph for Kagome. After seeing his master sprawled under broken bits of wood, the little retainer only approached her when required. He was glad that Sesshoumaru had not asked him to baby-sit her, that had been largely Toki's job.

"Um, thanks." 

Hearing the smaller youkai clatter off down the corridor, Kagome began to wonder if looking for the obviously busy youkai lord was a good idea. He remained engrossed with his reading and continued to ignore her. Time dragged by as Kagome waited for some sign of acknowledgement but Sesshoumaru continued to remain indifferent to her standing there. When Kagome finally slammed her hands onto his desk, he looked up into her annoyed face. He calmly reached out to pick up the jarred scrolls and continued to watch her face.

"You really should learn to treat people with more courtesy, Sesshoumaru-san. Nobody likes to be ignored, especially when they haven't done anything to deserve it. And even then, it is still rude!" Kagome complained as she leaned over the desk to glare down at the unperturbed youkai lord.

"You came all this way to lecture me about ignoring your presence?" he asked smoothly, his hand reaching for the parchment by his side. "You made no mention of your request but stood there mutely. What did you expect me to do?"

"You could have said 'Hello'. It is a normal greeting to begin with!"

"Then why didn't you?"

Kagome opened her mouth to reply when she realised that he had painted her into a corner with that question. He had a point, she could have easily initiated the first greeting. If he had ignored her then, she would have held the moral high ground, so to speak. Damn it, he got her on that technicality. She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself. He was still watching her with that inscrutable look, but there was a flicker of amusement within the golden depths. '_So it's Sesshoumaru – one, Kagome – none_.' At least he was not angry at her disturbance.

"Okay, you got me on that. Shall we start over?" she asked. A slight nod of his head was the only indication of his agreement. Despite herself, Kagome allowed a quick smile to cross her face. 

"Hello, Sesshoumaru-san. How are you today?" she inquired politely.

"Good morning, Kagome. I'm well, and how are you?" he replied in a flat monotone, humouring her. He watched a frown mar her brow before deciding to move things along. He wanted to return to his reading.

"Fine, thanks," she replied curtly. "Sesshoumaru-san, I want to thank you for all that you have done for me since my, uh, arrival. But there's something I want to know…" Kagome hit a snag here. She did not quite know how to phrase her question. '_Was it even a question in the first place?_' a small voice nagged in the back of her mind. 

Sesshoumaru was a little surprise at her expressed gratitude. It was the next half of the question that got his attention. '_What does she want to know? Her power? I still haven't found an answer to that,'_ he pondered. 

In truth, the mystery of this girl Kagome was starting to intrigue him each passing day. He was almost ready to question her directly but since her 'demonstration', he had decided to search amongst the ancient records of the inu youkai lords. It seemed that the time had finally come.

Kagome was gazing off to a corner of the room trying to get her thoughts in order when something caught her eye. It didn't appear to be a trick of the light as it was glowing a soft pink. Sesshoumaru followed her gaze and his eyes widened in surprise. The sacred scroll of InuTaisho was now pulsing with a magical aura and had started to unravel. It then levitated itself and approached the desk where they stood. The glow faded as the scroll gently landed on it.

As the both of them continued to stare at it, a string of kanji appeared and continued as though an invisible writer was hurriedly putting his thoughts onto paper. Kagome could only make out a few of the words, the language being that of ancient Japanese, but Sesshoumaru apparently had no trouble. Glancing up into his face, Kagome was surprised at the play of emotions that flew across it. Shock, anger, joy, pain – they all fought for dominance. Kagome glanced down to the scroll but it made little sense to her, furthermore she was trying to read it upside-down.

The writing stopped. Sesshoumaru continued to stare at it, but his eyes were no longer seeing the words. Whatever it was that was written had had a profound impact upon the youkai lord. And Kagome began to worry at the continued silence. She tentatively reached out and touched his limp hand that was on the desk. The contact seemed to snap him out of it and he growled angrily. Kagome snatched her hand back and hoped that he would not repeat the attack on her from before.

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Sesshoumaru had felt the warm touch of her hand and it broke the spell that bound him to the scroll. For him, it was a replay of some of the most painful moments of his life and some of the happiest; the feelings colliding into a powerful emotion he did not know how to handle. A low growl escaped involuntarily and he caught himself. He saw Kagome's fearful look and felt unusually contrite. But instead of apologising, he simply folded his arms within his voluminous sleeves. He wondered if this girl was the one mentioned within the scroll – the one who could lead him to the legendary fanged blade of the Inu clan - Tessaiga.

Kagome relaxed a little when she saw that he was not about to attack her. However, the strangely thoughtful look he gave her sent a shiver of apprehension down her spine. It reminded her of the words he spoke that night when he pinned her to the mattress. _'You look good enough to eat, wench.'_ Kagome decided to make a break for it when he spoke to her.

"Sit down, Kagome. There is something I must discuss with you."

Kagome worried her lower lip for a moment before pulling a chair to the desk. The scroll remained on the table but neither of them touched it. There was a residual tang of magic in the air and Kagome felt its prickle even now. Sesshoumaru had also seated himself and was silently gazing at her. It was not an uncomfortable stare but rather of one more contemplative. Kagome couldn't help but feel herself being drawn into those amber depths. 

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'His eyes are so mesmerising,' came the unbidden thought and Kagome twitched slightly as her blush painted her cheeks. Despite that, she still could not pull herself away from his gaze.

'_Why is her face turning red?_' Sesshoumaru wondered idly as he continued to look into her warm brown depths thoughtfully. '_But it does make her look more fetching…_'

Snapping out of his wandering thoughts, Sesshoumaru broke eye contact with the girl across from him. Looking back down at the scroll, he missed the relief that briefly flickered over her face. The scroll's contents held his great father's thoughts and it had been especially enchanted so that only when a youkai and a miko of sufficient power were on amicable terms could it be read. But Sesshoumaru was uncertain about the 'amicable' part. Kagome was usually ready to snap his head off and he had begun to lose patience with her. No, there was something more to this and Sesshoumaru had a feeling that he was not going to like it one bit.

Kagome sat down and tried to get her scattered thoughts in order. The long look he had given her stirred strange feelings in her that she was not ready to even begin to contemplate. The youkai lord obviously saw her as a possible threat and therefore decided to keep her near him to make sure she did not try anything like the last time. Kagome was familiar with the proverbial saying of keeping one's enemies closer and the thought of her being that hurt her feelings. Of all things, the last thing that Kagome ever thought was to be considered as someone's enemy.

Sesshoumaru's attention had drifted away from the scroll and was now focused on the girl facing him. Her eyes were downcast and he could read a strange disappointment and pain in the slumped shoulders. Her ki was dimmed and he wondered where all the earlier energy had disappeared too. As much as he would like to deny it, the girl brought a sense of chaos to his otherwise ordered existence. She brought an excitement that intrigued him while at the same time warning him of the probable danger she posed. She was such an enigma – a conundrum that just begged to be solved. Perhaps now was the time to find out the truth.

"We will leave the fortress tomorrow morning for the Cavern of Shattered Dreams. You will assist me in reclaiming the sword of my clan, Tessaiga," Sesshoumaru said, his eyes hooded in anticipation of her response. He was not disappointed.

Kagome started and stared wide-eyed at the youkai lord. Her mouth opened and for a moment, no words escaped. Then she found her voice.

"We're going where?" she began. "What's this sword you're talking about? Was it written in the scroll? And why do I have to go with you?" 

Holding his hand up for silence, he waited for her to calm down. Mentally editing the scroll's contents, he gave her the only thing that was relevant to her purpose. Sesshoumaru had no intention on airing his family's laundry in public, especially with a human female no matter how special or unique she may be. The business of the Inu youkai clan remained the business of the clan alone.

"The sword Tessaiga is sealed within a barrier that can only be broken by someone powerful enough to offset its own. And since no individual has ever achieved such a feat, it may just be possible that you could be the one capable of doing it," Sesshoumaru stated matter-of-fact.

"Is it because I managed to blast you through the door?"

Sesshoumaru inwardly winced at the question. He was still sore in more ways than one whenever he recalled that incident. Removing the splinters from various parts of his body had taken him the better part of two days. He was certain that there were a couple more embedded but was still not too sure where. But the girl's face demanded an answer and he could not avoid it.

"Perhaps. But I believe it may have to do with your being sent here." There, that seemed like a satisfactory answer. Watching her face carefully, Sesshoumaru could not help but hope that she would take it as that. He did not feel in too good a mood to explain in detail.

Kagome nibbled her lower lip absentmindedly at his explanation. He was hiding something with his response but she could not pinpoint where. But what choice had she in the matter? If she did help him, it might put her in a better situation than where she stood right now. Despite her streak of independence, Kagome yearned to belong someplace, even if it was within Sesshoumaru's domain. She did not delude herself about being able to go home yet firmly held onto the hope that she could, one way or another. If she helped him, perhaps, just perhaps, he would return the favour. With that in mind, she made her decision.

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'The girl's emotions are so easy to read,' Sesshoumaru smiled inwardly as he observed the change in her ki and the emotions that flitted across her face. True she had been afraid of him but that fear had dimmed only to be replaced by something else. Lacking a better term for it, he had simply called it 'Kagome'. While her brashness irked him more often than not, he found himself eagerly anticipating the spirited challenge she gave him. For the first time in decades since his father's death, Sesshoumaru felt more alive than he ever had before - Kagome rarely disappointed him on that.

"Okay, I'll help. But I will need to have some travelling clothes."

"Toki will see to it. Now go and rest, Kagome. We have a long journey ahead of us and I won't allow you to hold us back."

"Gee, you're all heart, Sesshoumaru-san," Kagome's reply dripped sarcasm as she pushed herself to her feet before spinning on her heel to stride out of the study. As she closed the door behind her, she could not resist sticking her tongue out at the youkai lord seated behind it.

Staring at the door, Sesshoumaru allowed himself a wide smirk before returning to the business at hand.

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Author's Notes: 

Well, back to the story proper after the previous chapter's interlude. This was good in theory but harder in the actual writing. I wanted to make it vague yet at the same time had to leave some understanding for the readers. I'm sorry if it's not exactly brilliant story plot material. Sometimes the actual details cause more problems as I have to sort through it and work with what makes the most sense. This chapter is one such example. I'll eventually find the time (and the effort) to write an Author's Reflection on the overall story and plot. But it's not a promise as yet, just an idea…

I know Tessaiga is supposed to have been created from the fang of Sess' father. However, I've decided to modify things a little bit and use it as the legendary blade of Sess' clan. My reason? It seemed a good idea at the time. Now, it appears that I may have to come up with a little more info about Tessaiga's current existence. Well, I'll just have to sit down and scribble something out and cross-reference it with the assorted notes I made on the rest of the story. Or at least try to… this story is starting to write itself actually.

A little more Sess/Kag interaction but largely sacrificed for the actual plot. Other than that, this chapter can be considered satisfactory given the difficulties encountered while writing it. I hope to hear from you regarding this chapter or even to ask questions. I'm still reeling from the large number of reviews for the previous chapter so I've decided to post this a little earlier. I should be working on my magazine article instead of this… Ah well, all in the name of Fanfiction! Till then, ja mata ne!


	10. A Tentative Bond

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Disclaimers: Why can't I own Sesshy? *sobs*

Since I'm already behind schedule with this fic, I'll briefly thank all of you who have left something in the review box below. Things will be moving along so keep on reading! By the way, this is known as the **Tessaiga Arc**, as it seems to fit with my overall story plan. I have a habit of writing in arcs [much like the TV series' seasons] so they can stand on their own. Enjoy!

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Chapter 8: A Tentative Bond

The next three days were an absolute torture for Kagome. As much as she loved nature and the beauty of the scenery was breathtaking, camping outdoors with minimal comfort was not her cup of tea. Sesshoumaru could not care either way, his thick fluffy tail was an asset that made her exceedingly jealous. The way he would find that extremely comfortable spot at the foot of an old tree, to the way he would casually curl his tail to pillow his head and back. All she had to keep her comfortable was a medieval version of a sleeping bag made of coarse heavy cloth and the nightly campfire. 

Jaken was being pain in the rear with his continuous bleating of "Sesshoumaru-sama" this and "Sesshoumaru-sama" that made Kagome wonder how the youkai lord could tolerate it. Wishing she could boot the infuriating toad into the nearest bramble bush, Kagome huffed quietly and fiddled with the travelling clothes she wore. Sesshoumaru had been insistent that she wore the hakama and gi ensemble instead of a feminine travelling kimono - and Kagome was glad for it. No matter how well designed for travelling it was, it was still constricting in its movements.

Kagome was well aware that Sesshoumaru was more than capable of transporting them to their destination via the air. As nerve-wracking as it was, she was willing to put up with it as long as it would prevent all the annoyances like Jaken's whining and the hard ground. But as Sesshoumaru had bluntly put it – he had no desire to waste his energy transporting them, when walking would do just fine. Kagome knew that he was resenting the fact that she had to accompany him as she was the only one who could probably break the barrier sealing Tessaiga's chamber. And Sesshoumaru hated having to rely on her in any way.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken began, "would you like this humble servant to scout the route ahead when we break for camp?"

" I am more than capable in doing that, Jaken," came the frigid reply. "See to the camp's preparations."

"Are we close to the place, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, her desire to talk overcoming her. "Can't I follow?"

"You'll hold me back," Sesshoumaru replied curtly before swiftly disappearing off between the trees. 

"Foolish wench," Jaken cackled as he started the fire. "Aside from your strange abilities, you are of little value to his lordship. As soon as he's claimed Tessaiga, your life will end."

"Oh shut up before I kick you into that bramble patch, Jaken!" Kagome yelled. "I'm sick and tired of being treated like a third leg and stop calling me WENCH!"

"Feh! You are a wench, human, so don't claim to be more than that," Jaken squawked back. "If Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't gut you personally, I'll willingly stand in his place."

"Oh REALLY?" came the hissed reply. Kagome's eyes were narrowed in a deadly glare and her aura began to flare. The anger and frustration she had felt since leaving the fortress spilled out and she was ready to explode. But one of the objects of her rage was not within the campgrounds. No matter, the other one was.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Jaken scurred backwards as he felt the thickening power buffeting him. "Sesshoumaru-sama's not going to be pleased that yo--"

"Screw Sesshoumaru-sama, you toad!" Kagome screamed back. "I'm gonna fry your scaly little hide!"

Jaken squeaked and fled in the direction the youkai lord had taken. Kagome watched the little twit disappear and forced herself to calm down. It didn't help that the pack beast was jerking at its ties and stamping its feet nervously. And the last thing Kagome wanted was to chase after a spooked animal carrying all her belongings. Breathing deeply, she managed to bring about a calm. She could feel the energy pulling back to rest within her and sighed as her internal peace slowly returned. A part of her felt guilty for threatening Jaken but it was quickly justified by the cruel remarks he had thrown at her.

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'Could what Jaken have said be true? Would Sesshoumaru kill me once Tessaiga is his?' came the questions as she pulled the thick blanket about her and stared miserably into the fire.

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Naraku's Palace

"The Shikon no Tama!" came the excited cry from the dark haired man. After fifty years since Kikyo's death, the intoxicating allure of the jewel was but a memory. Now, Naraku could feel its emanations from the south-west and he summoned Kanna to his side.

"Show me the jewel's location!" he ordered the girl. 

Kanna held the mirror up to his eyes and the blank depths began to swirl. It cleared and revealed a campsite where a girl was yelling at a very small youkai. Dismissing the toad-like thing, Naraku focused on the girl. In accordance with his wishes, the mirror zoomed in on her and Naraku felt his heart stop. It couldn't be! The miko was dead, he himself had committed the murder. How could this be? On top of that, she had the Shikon no Tama on her person. Could this girl be the one that Kagura had told him about? If so, she must be under the protection of the Lord of the Western Lands. Damn it!

As he continued watching, he could feel the energy that radiated from the girl. Despite the distance between them, Naraku could still sense the raw power that spilled out. It sang to him and tempted him with the dark promises he wanted to achieve. But as soon as it came, it faded and all that remained was the faint thrum of his blood's awakening. Naraku's curiosity had now increased a hundred-fold and he intended to observe this girl a lot more closely. Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru was now the biggest obstacle in his way. While he had managed to peek into Sesshoumaru's fortress, it had been too brief due to the wards that protected it.

But now out in the open, his spying on them would be easier. Naraku wondered if Sesshoumaru knew of the Shikon no Tama being in possession of the girl. Perhaps he did, seeing how closely he kept her by his side. And from that brief look into their midnight escapade, the girl was no doubt worth a lot more to the Western Lord. So how was he going to go about it? Naraku loved a challenge. It appealed to his twisted imagination and as he sat back to contemplate, the workings of a plan came to mind. Smirking at the trouble it would cause the youkai lord, Naraku now allowed himself to fine-tune its machinations.

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Back in the Western Lands

Sesshoumaru was over five miles away when he felt the power from the girl. It blazed through his keen senses and for a moment, it left him stunned and slightly breathless. The difference between this energy and the earlier one that had blasted him through the study was the emotion laced within its aura. The first one held fear but this one was pure anger. His eyes widened at this but he pushed it aside to focus on getting back to camp. As he crested the small ridge, he saw Jaken waddling frantically towards him with fear written on his face. The girl was not with him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama! The girl…" Jaken squeaked out, his breaths coming out in heavy gulps.

"What happened?" he growled out as the servant started to cower under the livid amber gaze.

"S-sh-she went crazy, Sesshoumaru-sama! She cursed your name and tried to kill me!" Jaken wailed, his body trembling in fear and exhaustion.

Sesshoumaru knew that something more must have transpired between the two to result in this. And he was willing to bet that Jaken had provoked the girl to the point of near uncontrollable fury, the little idiot. Leaving the retainer behind he headed back to camp slowly. The energy that had crackled through the air had dissipated and now he could sense regret and self-pity within its lingering trace. Frowning slightly, he paused at the edge of the camp and silently observed the girl. She was huddled by the fire, the heavy travelling cloak covering her shoulders. She gave a sniff and looked up. Tears were spilling down her cheeks.

Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly. He hated to see tears. They brought back painful memories that he wished he could erase forever from his mind. Of all the emotions, sadness was one of the hardest to handle. There was something unfixable in such an emotion and no means of removing it unless the person willed it. Kagome was in essence a child of the light and she personified hope, optimism and joy. He had seen as much while watching her inconspicuously during her stay at his fortress. She had been surprisingly quick to adapt and refused to let things bring her down. But even she had a breaking point – and it had just been reached.

"Kagome," he called out, careful to keep his voice neutral. The last thing he needed was for the girl to go all weepy either before or after she would go ballistic again. He could not help but wish that he had kicked his retainer over the treetops for the added annoyance he had created. Sesshoumaru could feel his patience diminishing but refused to give in to the temptation of damning everything to hell in order to make his life less complicated. Sometimes, the easy way led to a whole lot more complications down life's path. And he had no wish to court further disaster. No, this time he would have to approach things in a very different way.

Kagome looked up to see blurry white figure before scrubbing her eyes of the tears. Despite her sorrow, she still had her pride and damn if she wanted to show any further weakness in front of the youkai lord. She could not help wondering why he was not doing anything to provoke her but some small part of her suggested that he might have sensed the psychic power she had just unleashed. She continued to eye him warily, and was startled to see him approach her. He settled himself by the fire beside her and relaxed his tail. It uncoiled from his shoulder and snaked down.

Sesshoumaru could sense the fascination she felt at the sight of his tail. He was still faintly surprised that she showed so much tolerance of youkai given that she was human to the best of his knowledge. The tail had the desired effect and it calmed the girl's ki further. She refrained from touching it, although he could see that she was almost itching to. He knew that she was gentle and allowed himself to indulge in her soothing strokes. Kagome was pleasantly surprised to feel his tail wind about her and its soft thickness was very comforting. Taking it as a sign of acceptance, she let her fingers run through the white fur delighting in its warmth and texture.

There were no more words spoken between them. Night had fallen and the fire continued to burn as Jaken fed it periodically. The retainer had eventually crept back to camp and wisely kept his mouth shut as he prepared the kill he had done in atonement for provoking his lord's anger. If he noticed the close proximity and the securely wrapped tail about the girl, Jaken continued to keep it to himself. Of course, one other reason for the toad youkai's silence was the very watchful eye of Sesshoumaru on his quivering form. Kagome, on the other hand, ignored him and only thanked him for the meal he presented her. And that was how the night passed for the small group of three.

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Kimura Village, south-west.

Miroku frowned as he felt the strange aura from before. It was now approaching night and the monk sighed in vexation. After he had first felt it, he had been strangely compelled to trace it. Something within told him that it was the right thing to do and Miroku was not one to push aside his gut feelings. But seeing as how it was too late to be wandering about in the forest, he turned towards to the village he had planned to stay in for the night. Hopefully, things would pick up in the morning and traces of the strange power would remain for him to detect and follow.

As he approached the outskirts of the village, he felt a sudden surge of youki. Breaking into a run, the priest raced towards the village where shouts and cries of terror were piercing the night. As the village came into sight, he gasped at what he saw. Towering above the crude huts, a centipede youkai swivelled its head as it took in the mayhem it was causing. Letting out a high-pitched shriek, it dove downwards into the nearest hut splintering it like matchwood. Gritting his teeth, Miroku sped up hoping that he was not too late in stopping the creature.

As he approached it, he leapt up to level a sharp blow to the creature's head. It shrieked in agony as thick blood spurted out. Landing gracefully, Miroku prepared to release the power of his Kazaana when something came spinning out of the sky. It neatly severed the centipede youkai's head in a shower of gore before angling back towards its owner. Avoiding the falling body, Miroku searched the sky for the mysterious youkai slayer. A moment later, he made out the shape of a woman astride the airborne firecat youkai with a large boomerang strapped to her back.

He continued to watch as they both touched down and she leapt off the cat. Dressed in a snug bodysuit and red bodice armour, Miroku could not help but be entranced by this deadly vision of beauty. Smiling at her, he approached and began his introduction.

"Good evening, lovely lady," he began as he reached up to clasp both of her hands within his. "My name is Miroku and would you grant me the honour of bearing my child?" 

Sango's mouth opened in shock and for a moment she remained frozen. The next moment, however, saw the priest lying in a crumpled heap a couple of metres from her. Sango felt as though her hand was about to fall off with the hard slap she had given the man. It was upon closer inspection that she realised that she had hit a priest. Gasping at her rude behaviour, she quickly knelt beside the seemingly unconscious man to check him. As she gently shook his shoulder, something rubbed itself against her rear. For a moment, Sango wondered if she felt what she thought she felt. It was the next rub that sealed the so-called priest's fate. 

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Miroku woke up the next morning as the sun streamed in through the windows of the hut. Blinking, he wondered what had happened the night before. He had never hurt this much in his life before and how it happened. At that point, he heard the soft swish of the bamboo curtain. Turning to look, he saw the stern face of the young woman who had saved the village from the centipede youkai.

"How are you feeling, Houshi-sama?" came the polite inquiry. Yet the look in her eye was anything but that. It warned him of further bodily harm if his hands strayed anywhere beyond the confines of the blankets.

"Am I to thank you for the kindness of caring for my injured person, Miss…?" Miroku asked with a gentle smile. The woman seemed a little thrown-off by his genteel query and was unsure how to respond. Bowing her head in deference to the priest, she answered his question.

"My name is Sango. I'm a youkai exterminator by vocation. Pleased to meet you," was the formal reply. Miroku smiled again and introduced himself.

"I am Miroku, a Buddhist priest travelling the lands. And I'm very pleased to meet you too." 

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Author's Notes: 

Hmm, Sess behaved quite cutely didn't he? Well, I figured that Kag would probably be shocked silly if he were to hug her so I used his 'tail' to cuddle her. I think it's kind of fitting as Sess is not a very emotional person and would never openly show affection even if he were tied up and stripped…. Oops, digressing, eheheh. ::wipes drool of chin:: Anyway, I think the use of his tail is a compromise as he wouldn't do it himself.

Finally got the Sango and Miroku meeting down. I was rather unsure about ending it here but it seemed to work when I looked at it from the overall scheme of things. I don't really plan to involve them too much but they will have a significant role to play in the story. I just have to work out the finer details of their involvement in the various chapters. Their main role is in the plot rather than in the characterisation but I won't make them two-dimensional characters either. I just have to strike a balance in the aim of my storytelling.

Anyway, drop me a note to let me know how it went for you. I'd love to hear your comments or critiques. Till the next chapter, ja mata ne! 


	11. Cavern of Shattered Dreams

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Disclaimers: I only own a Sesshy plushie - the best I have under the circumstances…

Thanks to everyone who took time out to drop a review or comment regarding this story. I know I update very slowly but real life commitments tend to take precedence. Besides, I've got a really cool job as head editor of a local anime and manga magazine and am really swamped with work. But here's the latest chapter just for you - Enjoy!

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Chapter 9: Cavern of Shattered Dreams

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Two days later,

Entrance to the Cavern of Shattered Dreams

The craggy grey stone walls rose high above the ground and Kagome could not repress a shiver as she realised that the peaks were lost from view by the heavy clouds. It also did not help matters that the area around the place was that of a barren wasteland with what appeared to be gleaming bones and the remains of other less savoury things. Sesshoumaru was his usual stoic self but Jaken was muted. Ever since that temper tantrum she threw, the toad youkai had refrained from insulting her at every turn but the silence from him was no comfort. Kagome needed conversation and attention but neither of her two companions was willing to indulge her. She sighed inwardly.

At least, Sesshoumaru was behaving a little more kindly towards her. He spoke to her a little more often and even inquired about her life from where she came. Kagome had seized the opportunity to talk but after an hour of prattling on, she began to feel the pangs of homesickness. Perhaps that was why the youkai lord rarely spoke to her, he could not bear her sorrow at thoughts of her home. Kagome did not know whether to feel touched at his concern or upset at his silence. But since they were now at their destination, Kagome began to feel her nervousness returning. Was Sesshoumaru really going to kill her once he claimed Tessaiga?

Sesshoumaru motioned Jaken forward to confirm the location. The Staff of Heads cackled in glee and Sesshoumaru smiled slightly. His excitement was growing and he could almost feel the legendary blade within his hands. Moving into the shadow of the cave, he made his way through the piles of bone and the preserved carcasses of humans and other unidentifiable creatures. The Cavern of Shattered Dreams held its own legend and no doubt, these sorry fools had hoped to plunder its treasures for their own. Sesshoumaru did not care about wealth, he was satisfied materially – it was the companion to Tenseiga that he craved for.

He heard Kagome struggling to keep up and the periodic squeaks of disgust as she almost tripped over some dead body or skeleton. Realising that it was possible for her to sustain an injury before his goal was met, he paused and ordered Jaken to light a torch. The retainer hastily constructed one from the debris about them and lighted it with the power from his staff. Jaken then preceded his master and the flickering light of the torch threw strange shadows upon the dark walls. Kagome quickly caught up with them and kept as close to Sesshoumaru as she could without annoying him unduly. Sesshoumaru allowed her the closeness and discreetly brushed his kimono's sleeve against her as further reassurance. The girl relaxed slightly at the brief touch. She was beginning to read his subtle body language. _'Is it a good thing or bad?'_ he suddenly wondered.

His brief thought paused at the appearance of a massive door that halted their progress. The magical barrier before it pulsed and all three of them could easily sense its great power. Kagome felt her hair standing on end and she self-consciously rubbed her arms. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he tried to read the barrier's power. It was truly formidable. He knew that he could not break it, and that left the girl. Turning to look at her, he noted her reaction to it. She looked uncomfortable but was not panicking – a good sign. He needed her mentally stable for the job at hand.

"Kagome," he began, startling the girl from her thoughts. "Can you sense the barrier?"

"Y-yes. It's very strong," Kagome replied looking up at him. "You want me to break it, right?"

"Do it if you can," was the quiet reply. Kagome sensed the hidden meaning behind his words. For a moment, her heart almost wept at her death but she steeled herself against it. He had looked after her when all was said and done, and she could at least try.

Approaching the edge of the barrier, she tentatively reached out to touch it. As she made contact, the magic crackled and sparked around her hand but did not hurt her. It felt strangely warm and almost comforting. Probing further, she allowed her mind to relax and 'listen' to what it was trying to tell her. Her eyes closed and she stood halfway between the barrier and the outside. Sesshoumaru watched her closely noting the girl's dreamy expression as she seemed to 'communicate' with it. Time passed but nothing else happened. Frowning, he approached her and called out her name. There was no response. Coming to a decision, he decided to grab a hold of her and pull her out.

At the moment of his contact with her arm, the barrier thrummed and before he could pull the both of them back, a sudden force wrenched them in. Stumbling forward heavily, Sesshoumaru twisted to allow the girl to land on him as they tumbled through the barrier. Kagome was sprawled over his chest and she looked about in confusion at the sudden turn of events. Realising that she was straddling the youkai lord in a very compromising way, she hastily scrambled off blushing madly. Feeling oddly amused at her beet-red face, he stood up and calmly dusted himself down. He turned to look back and saw a frantic Jaken trying to get through. All the toad got for his pains though was to be violently flung back by the barrier.

Kagome had meanwhile wandered over to the heavy door that was deeply seated into the mountain. Her neck protested at having to bend backwards too far as she strained to see its top. Sesshoumaru was now standing beside her and he too wondered if he was strong enough to push it open. Touching a hand to the door's surface, he applied pressure testing its resistance. Suddenly, he saw a smaller hand pushing against the door and he realised that she was trying to help him. As he was about to tell her to step back, a loud creak echoed throughout the cave and the door shifted. It would make for an amusing sight if one could take in a very wide-eyed youkai dog and his equally goggle-eyed human companion.

Sesshoumaru gently pushed Kagome behind him as he stepped through the door. Kagome peeked from behind his back and almost gasped at the lighted chamber behind the door. It was a spectacular dome-shaped cave that glittered and sparkled from the gems embedded within its walls. The light came from the singularly enormous glowing jewel that hung from its centre, seemingly suspended in mid-air. The entire cave put Kagome in mind of the story '_Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves_' that she had read some time back. The only thing that appeared lacking was the heaping masses of gold and jewels. The only thing that stood within the chamber was a low pedestal with what appeared to be an old sword sticking out of it. It was this that Sesshoumaru had been waiting a lifetime for – Tessaiga.

Moving swiftly through the cave, Sesshoumaru had eyes for only one thing. As he reached the pedestal, he paused as though offering it a silent prayer of thanks before reaching out to grasp its handle. There was a sharp crack and a moment later, he saw a very startled Kagome staring down at him. She scrambled backwards as he gave a loud growl and jumped to his feet. The force of the sword's barrier had thrown him over a dozen feet away. On top of that, he was experiencing an annoying ringing in his ears. Kagome watched as he glared at the offending sword and returned to stand by it. She got the hint.

As she reached out to touch it, she felt the same power flow through her. As with the earlier barrier, her hand only grasped the sword's handle but did not allow her to pull it out. The soft dreamy look clouded her eyes and she gave a lazy smile. Sesshoumaru could not help but think that she looked rather pretty for a human as she gave in to the blissful sensation. But the admiration was transient and he wondered if he should touch it again. He could feel Tenseiga softly pulsing and it too, seemed to be guiding him. Reaching out to grasp the handle, he allowed the girl's hand to serve as a buffer between the sword and his. 

The only difference from that of the first time they had penetrated the barrier was the warm pulse that travelled through their hands. It was almost sensual in its touch and Sesshoumaru felt a small shiver of delight race down his spine. The proximity to the dreamy girl was further heightening the feeling and Sesshoumaru felt his body relaxing into the aura that surrounded them. Kagome was pressed against his chest and his left arm was holding her lax body against him. The sword Tessaiga pulsed and it echoed itself in Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru had little thought within his mind as his body automatically folded and the both of them gently fell by the pedestal seemingly locked in a lovers' embrace. 

How much time passed, neither could guess. Sesshoumaru finally opened his eyes to see the bright glow of the cave's jewel suspended above him. Draped over his chest with her ebony hair flowing over his white kimono, Kagome was barely conscious. Her breathing was slow but she was not asleep. Kagome had no idea what was going on but she felt too relaxed and comfortable to want to move. She vaguely felt the slight movement of Sesshoumaru's chest as he breathed and heard the faint thumps of his beating heart. Both the sound and the movement lulled her into a sense of safety and peace. A small part of her mind tried to protest but she ignored it. She was luxuriating in the blissful sensations too much. Since her arrival, this was the only time she had felt so comforted… almost loved.

Forcing his hand to release the sword, Sesshoumaru felt his usual awareness returning. Something about the sword bothered him but he figured that he would have time to figure it out once they were back at the fortress. As Kagome's hand was still gripping the sword, she remained in her dazed state. Slowly pushing himself up, Sesshoumaru was vaguely appalled at his gentle treatment of her. He cradled her in his lap and tried to get her to let go of the blade. Finally after a few minutes of tugging, she did and blinked in wonderment. Turning around, she looked up into an unreadable face that then proceeded to arch an eyebrow. Cocking her head aside, she wondered at what he was trying to get at.

"I would like to get up," came his words and Kagome realised at what he was getting at. Looking down, she saw that she was very comfortably tucked into his lap. Her mouth rounded into an 'o' before she leapt off him in embarrassment. Despite himself, Sesshoumaru could not resist a smirk and he made sure she caught it. Her face darkening a deeper shade of red, Kagome could not help but wonder how she managed to get into such compromising situations. It just was not fair that she was constantly put on the defensive. But what was worse, she had a sneaking suspicion that the youkai lord was enjoying her discomfort greatly. Darn it!

Placing Tessaiga into its sheath that had been lying by the pedestal, Sesshoumaru felt jubilant at his victory. He then tucked the coveted blade in its place of honour by his side next to its companion Tenseiga. The two swords were now a comforting weight by his side and Sesshoumaru was in a very generous mood. The mystery of the barrier was locked into another corner of his mind to be dealt with at leisure. At this moment, he only wanted to savour the possession of his new sword and hoped to be able to try it out soon. Kagome walked beside him and they both proceeded to leave the cave.

As they exited the door, they felt it close behind them with a muffled boom. The barrier that had initially prevented them from entering had dissipated. Jaken had scrambled to his feet after hearing the door closing and waddled over as fast as he could.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Are you well? I have been so worried seeing how you have disappeared for over a day–" Jaken began before he was cut off by Kagome's cry of shock.

"What?! A whole day? But we were only in there for…" she ground to a halt and a frown crossed over her features. Sesshoumaru remained silent but thoughts were streaking through his mind. As far as he was aware, the entire thing could not have taken more than half a day at most. But recalling the strange lethargy that overtook him after releasing Tessaiga, he was not certain anymore. Whatever the case, it was time they made their way back to the fortress.

"Jaken," he summoned the suddenly attentive retainer. "We leave for the fortress immediately. Light the torch and proceed."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," the toad youkai almost sang at the command. After being forced to wait for his master and the human wench to appear in the gloomy cavern, he was quick to lead the way out with the hastily prepared torch. 

As they walked pass the graveyard of bones, Sesshoumaru and Kagome seemed to stand closer together. Jaken had glanced back a couple of times to make sure that they were sufficiently illuminated by the light and noticed the couple's nearness. For Sesshoumaru to stand that close to a human, something must have happened within the cave. Although he did not say anything, Jaken had a sneaking suspicion that things were going to be different from what it was before. He could not help but mourn for his master being ensnared by the human girl's witchcraft. The fact that he valued his life more kept his mouth shut and his mind active in trying to plot a way to get rid of the girl.

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Naraku's Palace

Kanna's mirror revealed the trio's progress towards the Cavern of Shattered Dreams. However, due to the interference caused by the powerful magical barrier, he had been unable to see within. Not that it mattered, Naraku was more than satisfied with what he had witnessed. The girl possessed the Shikon no Tama and that was all that mattered. Her uncanny resemblance to the miko Kikyo disturbed him but he pushed those thoughts aside to focus on the task at hand. He knew that Sesshoumaru must have had a purpose to brave the cavern but he was not sure for what. If it were something of power, then he, Naraku, would get it from him one way or another.

Summoning Kagura, he ordered her to release his newest 'child'. He allowed himself a wicked smile as he thought of the special abilities of his 'child'. As he continued to look out the window, he could see Kagura flying off within her feather boat with a darker shape sitting behind her. With his preparations complete, Naraku remained on his balcony to watch the events waiting to unfold within Kanna's mirror.

Kagura touched down some distance away from the cave and quickly dumped the cargo she had been carrying. She eyed the pulsing blob with disgust before relaying Naraku's command. The only assurance she had that the thing understood was a visible quivering before it oozed away into a dark corner of the woods. Settling herself downwind of the cavern, she patiently waited for the fun to start. She knew of Sesshoumaru's fighting abilities but the enemies he had fought were hardly taxing for the youkai lord. If Sesshoumaru managed to eliminate this new spawn of Naraku's, Kagura figured that the Lord of the Western Lands truly deserved his stature amongst the youkai.

In simple terms, Sesshoumaru could be her ticket out of Naraku's grasp and a freedom of her own. And Kagura could hardly wait for that day to come.

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Miroku, Sango and Kirara walked in companionable silence. The only thing that seemed out of place in this pretty picture of harmony was the red imprint of a hand across the monk's face. This had been the result of the straying hand of the priest fondling a certain private area of the woman's anatomy. Miroku was lucky Sango was not in a particularly murderous mood today. If she had been feeling otherwise, Hiraikotsu would have made an even greater impression on the man. As it was, Sango wanted to travel quickly and could not spare the time to nurse a badly bruised priest back to health.

After the centipede youkai incident and the subsequent introductions, the two of them had agreed that travelling together to search for Naraku would be a lot faster. This was in addition to the fact that the two of them made a rather good team. Despite her earlier misgivings about the priest, Sango had to admit that the man came in useful when it came to finding lodgings at night. When she had witnessed it for the first time, she had been appalled at his blatant lies and almost gave the game away. However, the luxuries of a hot bath and good food had changed her mind. They were not hurting anyone and the people who accommodated them were usually well off.

Currently, they were heading towards a possible destination where Naraku might be hiding. News of a large infestation of youkai had piqued their curiosity and they had set out post-haste. They could only hope that they were in time to catch the likely culprit behind the attacks. Unfortunately, Kirara had injured her paw during the youkai attack and Sango had no desire to force the fire cat into carrying them. She needed her at full battle strength for the upcoming fight and the little cat was now cradled in the exterminator's arms as they moved briskly down the road.

"There's something up ahead, Sango," Miroku spoke breaking the silence. His voice was serious and the woman stiffened in alertness. Setting Kirara down, she proceeded to unbuckle the Hiraikotsu from her back in preparation for any trouble.

"How far away, houshi-sama?" came the terse question and Miroku closed his eyes to better divine the trouble. Allowing his senses to travel beyond human ability, he soon located the problem area. Snapping up, he pointed towards the west.

"About half a mile away."

There was a soft swoosh and Kirara changed into her battle form. Sango looked at her youkai partner questioningly and the fire cat butted her gently in reassurance. Leaping aboard, she reached to pull the priest up. Miroku flashed her a quick smile of gratitude and they took off into the air. As they travelled swiftly, Miroku felt the youkai presence increase in intensity. There was something familiar about it and his heart began to beat faster. There was only one youkai that carried a taint as foul as the one he was sensing.

"Sango," he began while leaning forward to make himself heard above the wind. "I believe that our wish is about to come true. I sense Naraku's presence together with that youkai's."

Sango's eyes narrowed at the priest's words. Her hand tightened on the strap of Hiraikotsu as she thought of the pain she planned to inflict on that bastard. Kirara picked up on her mistress's mood and growled low in anticipation. Pushing itself, they all soon arrived. And they were shocked at the scene of devastation before their eyes. 

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Author's Notes: I planned to write something exciting but it kind of turned out to be a very different 'exciting', if you catch my drift. *lol* I really don't know what possessed me to write it that way. I mean, I was thinking about how Tessaiga was created to protect those near and dear but somehow worked its premise into the concept of the barrier's properties. Boy, but I'll have to explain that one when I get to it. I hope it doesn't turn out to be a Star Wars blunder [where the Force was explained]. But then again, I'll probably keep it brief…

Anyway, further character development with the story so apologies to those of you expecting some Inuyasha-type violence and mass mayhem. I DO plan to have it in the next chapter though, so please stay tuned! Oh, and please leave me a little something in the box below to let me know what you think of this so far. Thanks!

Till then, ja mata ne!


	12. Tessaiga's True Form

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Disclaimers: I own only the ugly monster and other assorted non-canon characters… Care to trade them for Sesshy?

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Thank you:

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wackoramaco87: Yes, Sess is definitely a teaser with regards to Kagome. As with any puppy, they like to have a little fun now and then... ::receives evil glare from Sess:: Eheheheh… Nice doggy?

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Lunatic Pandora1: Definitely no Inuyasha in this fic. I've long abandoned the idea of involving him in the story as it would cause too many complications and distract the story from its intention. Besides, there's so much more to the story than having to throw Inu-chan in.

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Amreld: Ah, the long-promised action scene. Well, I hope this chapter is action-packed enough to satisfy you. And yes… it was definitely more creeme than fluff.

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Familia-Ficz: Well, the barrier's properties will be dealt with much later on. And yes, an angry Kagome is very scary… I don't think even Sess would want to rile her too much. It's expensive to have to replace study doors.

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StarryEyedChick: I love character development in fics too. It strengthens the story further and also makes it more 'believable'. But I hope the action chapters deliver the additional 'oomph' to the story as well.

Also thanks to Suki1, Sesshi lover, Sesshyangel, HebiYoukai and AkaiMiaka-chan for your supportive comments!

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Chapter 10: Tessaiga's True Form

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Tamura Village

Ten miles east of the Cavern

The sounds of crashing wooden huts and the terrified screams of the villagers filled the air as the youkai began its rampage. It towered over the single storey structures and spanned the width of four huts put together. But what was even more terrifying was its form. It appeared as a gigantic spider, its eight limbs carrying it swiftly through the streets. Each time one of its feet landed an unfortunate building or worse, a person would be crushed. It was chaos as the village men tried to summon enough strength to drive it away. The women and children dashed about frantically trying to escape being consumed by the monster.

It was a short yet spirited defence by the men of the village. However, the youkai was too powerful for them and they perished in the onslaught. What that was not crushed, was either consumed or poisoned by the deadly fluid that seeped from its razor sharp fangs. By now, several fires had broken out but it paid the heat no mind. Sated of its bloodlust, the youkai made its way into the deep forest bordering the village. It planned to go into a short hibernation to further strengthen itself. As it disappeared into the trees, it did not see the approaching fire-cat and its two riders.

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Outskirts of the Cavern

Sesshoumaru decided to conserve his energy rather than transport them via the air, and the small group made their way through the swiftly darkening forest. Kagome was still dazed and she kept stumbling whilst trying to keep up with the others. It soon brought back her less than pleasant memories from before and she decided to put her foot down. She was not only tired but hungry and the darkness was not making it easy for her to see where she was going. Calling out, she finally got the youkai lord's attention.

"Can we please stop for the night, Sesshoumaru? I really can't keep up and I'm hungry too," Kagome began, almost hating the whine that had crept into her voice. "I mean, you have Tessaiga so maybe we could…" leaving the sentence unfinished but the fluttering hand gestures made up for it.

Sighing with strained patience, the taiyoukai turned back and made his way to stand before her. Kagome swallowed nervously as the tall youkai stood directly before her, his amber gaze thoughtful. Kagome felt the hairs at the back of her neck stand on end at the intense, almost speculative look he gave her and she began to step back. Before she could move however, his arm shot out and grabbed her around the waist. A moment later, Kagome was complementing his tail draped over his other shoulder.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" she squeaked trying to push herself up without having to touch him. "Put me down at once!"

"Silence girl! If I put you down, you will be left behind to fend for yourself. I have no intention of remaining in this area any longer than I have too. So decide now," came the stern reply.

Kagome stopped squirming and limply allowed herself to drape over his shoulder like his fluffy tail. She wondered if he was serious in his threat when the unpleasant memory of Jaken's hurtful words sprang to mind. Whatever the outcome was to be, Kagome had no intention of being left alone in the creepy forest. Although it was a surprisingly warm night, there was a strange chill to the place and Kagome shivered a little. Despite her uncomfortable position over the youkai's shoulder, she curled in a little closer to the warmth and security he instinctively gave her.

Sesshoumaru had no intention of overly analysing why he had tossed the girl over his shoulder instead of simply killing her once they were outside. He had Tessaiga now and that was all that mattered. So why was he carrying the human female like some lowly youkai? The only thing he was willing to concede was that something had happened in the cave and that it had deeply affected him on some level. 

It was because of this that he wanted to return to the fortress as soon as possible. There were now more questions than before and even the joy of attaining Tessaiga was dampened by the increasing attraction he had for the girl slung over his shoulder. And it didn't help that she was curled a little too snugly against him.

Jaken wore a frown as he rode the pack beast after his lord. Although there was little room for the girl to ride, Jaken was more than willing to walk in her place. The fact that his great master was carrying a human was upsetting to say the least. He could see that the girl had relaxed and was now shamelessly cuddling against his lordship's neck and back. 

As Jaken continued to observe, he saw her body sliding slowly down Sesshoumaru's front. The fact that she was quiet and relaxed showed that she had somehow fallen asleep. The final insult in Jaken's eyes came when she reached up with her arms to twine it around the taiyoukai's neck. The fact that his master seemed not to care and even accept such familiarity almost gave the little toad youkai palpitations. 

Sesshoumaru was keenly aware of the girl's body slipping down against his chest. His left arm instinctively reached up to hook itself under her rear so that she would not tumble down. As he maintained his brisk pace through the shadowy forest, the girl continued her slide until she was securely 'sitting' in the crook of the arm. He was thankful that she was a quiet sleeper due to his sensitive hearing. 

Despite his distraction with the girl in his arms, Sesshoumaru was still very much aware of the forest beyond his vision. His hearing and sense of smell continued assessing the surrounding area, alert for any possible threat. That was why he almost tripped when Kagome shifted in her sleep and unconsciously twined her arms about his shoulders and nuzzled into his neck.

For a moment, Sesshoumaru contemplated dropping the girl but her warm breath and tempting scent stopped him. He would rather die than admit it but he was actually beginning to enjoy her closeness. Kagome had too many faults in his cultured opinion, but he had to grudgingly admit that she had adapted to her difficult situation rather well. He doubted anyone else would have in her place and his respect for her increased marginally. 

Sesshoumaru's thoughts began to wander regarding the girl nestling against him and the question of her powers returned to the fore. A human with powers that could rival that of the Miko of Legend… Glancing down at the sleeping face, Sesshoumaru was hard pressed to accept it. But the presence of Tessaiga by his side indicated otherwise. Sighing quietly under his breath, he turned away to concentrate on the path before him and somehow managed to ignore the girl cradled against him. 

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Remains of Tamura Village

Late evening

Sango and Miroku managed to bury what few bodies and even more body parts that lay strewn about the destroyed village. As Sango shovelled earth over the last few graves, Miroku began his prayers for the souls of the dead. Kirara was out searching the area for any survivors and scouting out the demon's trail. She did not travel too far as her first instinct was to remain close to her mistress' side. But she did however, take note of the direction the youkai had headed off in. Returning once more, she transformed into her kitten form and sat by the two humans taking in the scene quietly.

"We need to find and kill that thing before it moves on to the next village, houshi-sama," Sango said, her voice trembling with anger. "Why would Naraku want to do such a thing? What could he possibly gain from killing innocent villagers?"

"Naraku must have some kind of agenda in mind, Sango," Miroku replied calmly. "He doesn't randomly destroy things as it draws too much attention to himself. But as to what his intentions are, I can only wonder."

"Is it something to do with that power you felt some days back?" Sango asked curiously. "If it's a youkai or spell, I'm sure we will be able to handle it, houshi-sama."

Miroku gave the young woman a small smile. Her optimism amazed him at times, although he had a feeling that it was tempered with a little bloodlust. Turning to finish his prayers, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Sango followed the little fire-cat to check the perimeter of the demolished village before retiring for the night. Miroku was exhausted by the strain of tending to the dead but he had a feeling that tonight would not be a restful one. Looking up, he observed the clouds scuttling past a blood red moon - an omen of a great calamity to come.

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The attack came suddenly. In the moment it took Kagome to jerk awake, she found herself airborne as Sesshoumaru tossed her out of the way. Thankfully, the thick moss by an old oak tree cushioned the otherwise violent descent for the shocked girl. Opening her mouth to scream her fury at the youkai lord, she then saw what it was that prompted her sudden flight. Sesshoumaru was weaving about at a blinding speed avoiding the heavy strikes by a giant spider monster. All that came out of her mouth then was a choked gurgle.

"Get over here, wench!" Jaken yelled as he struggled with the nervous pack beast. Starting at the sound of the retainer's voice, Kagome quickly pulled herself together and made her way to the small youkai. 

Grabbing at the leads, they managed to force the beast away from the scene of the fighting. Breathing hard in fear and shock, Kagome turned to stare at the battle taking place before her. Despite her alarm at the situation, she could not help but admire the way Sesshoumaru handled the fight. The one time she had seen him fight had ended too quickly for her to observe his tactics. This opponent on the other hand, was making the taiyoukai work for his victory. It was then that Kagome realised he had drawn Tessaiga from its sheath.

For a legendary blade, it certainly was not doing a very good job of killing the spider youkai. Sesshoumaru had tried to slice through a limb but the blade had only bounced off the thick flesh. Focusing his energy into the blade, Sesshoumaru tried once more. This time however, it cut but barely. Cursing at the ineffectuality of Tessaiga's power, Sesshoumaru now had to rely on his own deadly combat skills. Willing the poison to flow, he slammed his right fist into the monster's eye. While that did a good job of blinding it, Sesshoumaru lost his grip on Tessaiga and the sword was knocked out of reach.

Kagome continued watching the scene with huge eyes as Sesshoumaru blinded the monster with a strange green liquid from his hand. She saw Tessaiga fly through the air and land by some bushes opposite her hiding place. Jaken was nowhere to be seen but Kagome guessed that he was most likely with the pack beast. The toad youkai had absolute faith in his master's ability to triumph in the fight that he simply waited at a distance out of the way. Kagome was not as certain; the fight was going on longer than expected.

Deciding to chance it, Kagome inched her way towards the fallen blade. Careful not to draw any attention to herself, she ducked and hid behind the various shrubs and boulders that dotted the route. Unfortunately, a large gap lay between her and Tessaiga. Nibbling her lip in worry, she turned around to look at the fight behind her. Sesshoumaru's pristine white kimono now appeared to be stained by a dark liquid and Kagome guessed that it must be blood. 

It was only when a hard blow slammed into the taiyoukai's chest, shattering the armour, that Kagome stopped hesitating and dashed for the sword. Unbeknownst to her, the spider youkai had seen her running and now turned its attention on his new target. The inu youkai was promptly forgotten as the monster decided to intercept the girl. For Kagome, her desire to retrieve Tessaiga overshadowed her common sense. Despite the sword's inability to inflict anything more than a paper cut, something within the girl told her that Tessaiga was more than that. Why else would it have been sealed twice over?

Sesshoumaru blinked the stars from his vision and suppressed the groan that threatened to erupt from his badly bruised ribs. The damned monster was stronger than he had anticipated and he paid the price for underestimating it. Something nagged at him and Sesshoumaru turned to see the spider youkai moving towards the girl. What in the seven hells was that wench trying to do? Jaken and her were supposed to take refuge with the pack beast until the menace was taken care off, so why was she running right into the thick of things? Did she actually believe that she could fight the monster?

Kagome's hand curled around Tessaiga's handle and she felt its latent power pulsing lightly. She wondered if Sesshoumaru had felt the same thing, but a moment later that thought was lost as she felt a heavy presence behind her. Turning round, she barely had time to dodge the fanged mouth of the spider youkai. Scrambling away, Kagome tried to summon that strange power within her to deal with the monster. She felt something but before she could latch onto it, she was knocked to the ground by the hard wind from its waving limb. Stunned, she could only turn to look up as the limb aimed straight for her heart.

Before it hit her, a white blur scooped her out of its way. Landing a distance away, Kagome looked up to see a very angry taiyoukai glaring down at her.

"Are you insane, wench? Why in the name of the Great Youkai are you out here?"

"I-I," Kagome stuttered as she watched the amber eyes bleed crimson. Summoning the last dregs of her courage, she shoved Tessaiga towards the inu youkai. "Use this, Sesshoumaru. You can, if you believe—"

"I tried and I did," Sesshoumaru cut her off. "Stay out of the way if you wish to live."

"Sesshoumaru, you don't understand! Can't you feel it? Can't you feel the power of Tessaiga?" Kagome insisted, her eyes beginning to sparkle with tears. "You need to trust the sword!"

Growling low in his throat, Sesshoumaru tried to sort out his thoughts on the matter. He knew that Tessaiga had some power but why had it not manifested itself? Eyeing the spider youkai that was homing in on them, Sesshoumaru decided to transform into his true youkai form. Lowering Kagome to the ground, he stepped away from her and ordered her to move back. 

Curious as to his intentions, Kagome did not argue. In the next moment, a strange mist enveloped the taiyoukai and his form expanded and enlarged. It towered over her and two glowing red eyes glared out from the centre of the swirling cloud. Before she knew it, she was staring slack-jawed at a massive white dog with a silky mane of fur, a fluffy tail and large floppy ears. 

It turned slightly to look down at her with its blood-red eyes and Kagome could only stare back mutely. In spite of himself, Sesshoumaru had to almost chuckle at the goldfish look she had on. Returning his attention to the charging monster, Sesshoumaru launched himself at the youkai, his jaws already dripping with the poison he secreted. 

The spider youkai fought back just as viciously and Sesshoumaru soon felt a burning sensation in his left haunch where the monster's fangs had sunk in. It was then that Sesshoumaru knew he had to finish of the youkai before he was too weak to fight back. The poison would not kill him but it would incapacitate him long enough to be killed.

Kagome clutched Tessaiga to her chest as she watched the two youkai battled fiercely in the large clearing. Sesshoumaru was weakening despite his strength and Kagome knew he could not last long. His jaws were lax and poison dripped from it onto the ground, melting the earth below. Praying for the taiyoukai's safety, Kagome felt Tessaiga pulse as if in answer. Allowing her inner senses to guide her, she realised the truth behind Tessaiga's strength. Snapping her eyes open, she saw Sesshoumaru's dog form blur and fall back as the spider youkai's poison began to take effect.

"Oh Kami-sama!" Kagome gasped. Forgetting herself, she ran towards the wounded taiyoukai. Tessaiga pulsed even stronger as if feeding off her fear and anxiety. "Sesshoumaru!"

The inu youkai looked up weakly and its eyes widened in surprise at Kagome's approach. Growling, it turned to look at its opponent. The spider youkai had not been spared in the battle either. It had lost three of its limbs, its side ripped partially open revealing its internal organs. If Sesshoumaru could get at it, he was certain that victory would be his. And to do that, he would have better success in his humanoid form. Willing the transformation, Sesshoumaru was soon attempting to stand on two feet instead of four. Unfortunately, the poison was now deep within his system and the youkai lord fell to his knee in agony.

"Sesshoumaru!"

Looking up, he first saw then felt Kagome by his side. His vision blurred and he almost blacked out before forcing the feeling away. He felt something being forced into his right hand and discovered that it was Tessaiga's handle. A part of him was thankful but a larger part was angry at the blade's seeming lack of response. He felt two hands gently cup his face and large cinnamon eyes staring into his strained golden ones. The worry and fear clouded their usually clear depths, but at the same time they carried a strength of conviction that almost floored him.

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'I believe that you can defeat it with Tessaiga, Sesshoumaru. I know you can!'

Unconsciously drawing his strength from her, Sesshoumaru felt the pulsing of the legendary blade. As Kagome drew back, Sesshoumaru decided that if nothing else, he would do it for her - Kagome the strange woman-girl with a hidden power beyond comprehension, Kagome who was brave enough to follow a dangerous taiyoukai into the unknown for a sword she had no reason to retrieve, Kagome who risked her life to return Tessaiga to him. But most of all, for the Kagome who poured out her soul into him, lending him her strength. His left hand reached up to cover one of hers in acceptance of her gift and he felt Tessaiga's pulsing power rock through his body.

Standing up, Kagome stepped away from him but he knew that she was not leaving. The spider youkai had gathered its strength for a final assault and charged the silently waiting youkai lord. Sesshoumaru allowed the power from Tessaiga to merge with his own and revelled in the sheer strength of it. At the back of his mind, Kagome's eyes with their unspoken words lifted his soul. As the spider youkai leapt onto the passive inu youkai, Sesshoumaru leapt up with a snarl and swung the suddenly transformed blade.

There was not much to describe after that. The remains of the spider youkai lay scattered throughout the clearing and Sesshoumaru knelt down, lightly gasping for breath. Tessaiga remained tightly gripped in his fist, its fully transformed five-foot blade glittering in the early light of dawn. Kagome slowly approached the taiyoukai and knelt in front of him. Sesshoumaru's kimono was shredded in places and dark stains covered his left shoulder and down over his hip. Amazingly, Tenseiga still remained tied to his waist despite the obvious violence it had gone through.

"Tessaiga's true form," Sesshoumaru murmured as he marvelled at the blade's form. "Now I know why it was sealed away. Anyone who owned it could rule the world."

"Do you want to rule the world, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked quietly. She hoped that he would not answer the affirmative.

"No. I am satisfied with what I have," came the honest reply.

Kagome smiled happily and looked on as the once impassive youkai lord gave her his first honest smile. Her heart sped up at the sight and a slight blush covered her face. _'Oh Kami-sama, he's so gorgeous when he smiles!'_ Trying to think of something to say, Kagome was surprised when Sesshoumaru leaned in her direction. Her eyes widening in surprise at his boldness, Kagome was not sure if she was willing to let him kiss her, as tempting as may be. However, she did not have to decide anything as Sesshoumaru was now pressing her to the ground. 

Kagome lay staring up at the brightening sky and once more wondered if this was becoming a habit with them. Lying with his head cushioned against her breast, the Great Youkai Lord of the Western Lands had finally given in to exhaustion. 

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Author's Notes: The promised action scene delivered! Now I can go back to a more relaxed one. Phew! Kind of long-winded but then again, more bang for your buck as they say. How was the ending? I just couldn't resist it! Kind of fitting too. ::laughs hysterically at Sess' furiously blushing face:: 

Ten thousand yen to those of you who spotted little elements of Inuyasha's fight with the spider youkai from Volume 5 of the manga. Well, I'm not a very 'original' writer and let's face it, there're some really great action scenes in the manga to take inspiration from. The spider youkai is similar to the one from the manga but its more insect-like and doesn't talk. Even if it did, his Youkai-ness probably wouldn't bother in way of a response.

So please leave a little something in the box below to let me know you passed by. I love reading what you have to say about this story and hope to finish it off satisfactorily. I don't know how many chapters to go, only because I don't really know where this story is going yet. I think I'm having a little too much fun with the Sess / Kag thing, don't you think? Till then, ja ne!


	13. A Meeting Between Youkai and Human

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything on this except my thoughts… And I don't think you'd want them either.

Thank you:

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Chibi Hanyou - You'll have to take an IOU on the ten thousand yen cos I've used it to bribe a few people to get a hold of Sess. As for making him Sess yet still cute and fluffy, I just amaze myself sometimes.

Rhymsie - Wow! One of *my* favourite writers dropping a comment or two! Thanks for the compliment! I do try to keep it as believable as possible and it does get difficult at times, truth be told. But then again, there's just too much to write about.

Stacerue - Well, this looks to be a long story. I just realised that there's three parts to it at current standing. Not including the Side Story [still in the works]. Well, as long as it grabs the readers' interest, I'll continue to post it. And yeah, I do like the SessKag pairing a lot.

Amreld - Well, there's a plot now. After abruptly ending it after the next chapter, I realised that I could possibly continue if I wanted to, just need the inspiration and story plot to come together. Well, let's see where it goes after this.

wackoramaco87 - I'm glad you like the heavy action going on here. After all, as I've said earlier, you must have a little violence when in the IY universe. Plus, I can't write the 'other kind of action' so I do what I can. *lol* SessKag moments are really nice to write about when the inspiration and mood strikes. Otherwise, it's just more plot or action. But keep reading!

And thank you to Sesshie lover, Devidoo, Toki Mirage, Suki1, narXie-marie, Saria4, vy ngo, shelli_224 and Lastly for your kind encouragement!

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Chapter 11: A Meeting Between Youkai and Human

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Naraku's castle in the far north

Naraku watched in horrified fascination as his latest creation was destroyed with a single strike from Sesshoumaru's transformed blade. Watching it as if in slow motion, he saw the sword's blade lengthen and broaden, glowing with a blazing light as the taiyoukai lord brought it down in the killing blow. As the blade cleaved through the spider youkai's flesh, Naraku himself could almost feel the sword piercing his own body. His breath hitched in his throat and he was forced to turn away from the scene in Kanna's mirror. 

Steadying his breathing, he dismissed the pale girl and leaned heavily against the wooden wall behind him. This event had seriously set his plans back and he was at a loss to think of countering it. A part of him was thankful that Kagura was out and he was spared the bitch's smirking face. Most likely, he would have crushed her heart as a means of relieving his frustrations. But he knew that Kagura would have witnessed the battle herself. He had, after all, ordered her to spy on the youkai lord and his human pet.

"Damn it! What in the darkest hell is that sword?" Naraku hissed in anger. His eyes suddenly widened as he realised that the girl could have possibly aided the youkai lord in the blade's transformation. Could that be part of her power? Could she truly possess the Shikon itself and thereby wield its power in such a way? 

Narrowing his eyes in dark contemplation, Naraku pondered upon the turn in events since the girl's mysterious arrival. After all, Sesshoumaru had suddenly decide to 'adopt' a human female at about the same time Naraku had felt the Shikon's power being broadcast throughout the lands. And if he had felt it even as far away as he was, then the Lord of the Western Lands would have easily picked up on it. And being the powerful master of his domain, it would be but a simple matter to claim the girl as his property. Naraku unconsciously bared his teeth at the thought.

However, the most important thing now was to find out about that sword before challenging the youkai lord. Once that was done, the girl and the Shikon she carried would be within his grasp.

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Battleground of the spider youkai, 

Early morning

Kagome had given up on trying to shift Sesshoumaru's unconscious frame. As she had tried to seek some form of leverage to roll him off her, the youkai lord had simply tightened his hold about her. His breathing was now rhythmic and it comforted Kagome as to his well being. The blood from his wounds had stopped flowing and she was grateful for it. The top she wore was now slightly sticky and she grimaced at the thought of having to wash it later. Blood was never wash-friendly. 

Squirming under his weight, she managed to half-slide out from under him. She was lucky that his armour had been destroyed in the fight, if it hadn't, she would have had a lot of very angry bruises upon her. Thinking about this, she suddenly wondered how she managed to avoid being impaled when he had tossed her over his shoulder. Mentally shaking her head to brush aside that embarrassing thought, she continued to wriggle herself free. Sighing in relief once she managed to escape, Kagome realised that it would be rather unfair to leave the injured youkai lord alone and sprawled upon the ground.

Nibbling her lower lip in thought, she then decided to prop his head upon her lap and wait for Jaken to eventually make an appearance. She could not help but wonder what was taking the little toad so long. It just did not seem right considering the near mindless devotion the little youkai showed his master. Surely he had not been attacked and was currently being digested in some indiscriminate youkai's belly? The thought made Kagome almost sick. As much as she disliked the retainer, Jaken did not deserve such a cruel fate. He had tried to get her away from the fight earlier but she had stubbornly remained.

As Kagome was pondering the fate of Sesshoumaru's retainer, she was not aware of her hand stroking through the pale silky strands that flowed over her lap. She continued to sit and stare at the sky wondering, when Sesshoumaru's eyes eventually fluttered open. He had felt the soft touch and his body had instinctively relaxed in the comfort it gave. Sesshoumaru was familiar with Kagome's handling of his person and he allowed himself the luxury of indulging in it. His senses detected nothing except the early dawn activities of the local wildlife and Kagome.

He could feel his body healing from its wounds but the poison had weakened him considerably. By his estimates, it would take another hour or so before he would be strong enough to walk. Thankfully, the calmness in the air and the soothing presence of the human girl lulled him into a restful state. Leaving the girl to her private musings, Sesshoumaru was unaware of the small group that was approaching them from the south. His eyes only flew open when he felt Kagome stiffening in surprise and worry. Growling low, he pushed himself up to glare at the intruders.

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Miroku and Sango gaped at the strange scene before them as Kirara came to land at the outskirts of the wood. Sango remembered her as the girl who had been crouching at the youkai lord's feet as they had flown overhead over two weeks before. Miroku was simply shocked that the said youkai had taste in women, considering the muttered speculations he had heard on his journey throughout the lands. Whatever the reason, the said youkai was now awake and in a very unpleasant mood. The girl simply stared at them, her mouth slightly open as though about to say something.

Kirara broke the stand-off by brushing past the two humans and bowing low before the stern-faced taiyoukai. A moment later, she transformed into her kitten form as a gesture of peace. The girl gasped in surprise and looked almost delighted at the little cat, her fingers twitching as if eager to stroke and cuddle it. Taking this a sign to present themselves to the true lord of the land, the two humans bowed low in greeting. Sango made certain not to place her hands anywhere near her weapons and Miroku affected a priestly stance with his hands politely clasped.

The taiyoukai scrutinised them for a long moment before giving them a slight nod. He remained impassive although still alert for any trickery or ambush the newcomers might plan. As weak as he was, Sesshoumaru had decided on a swift course of action to take out the cat youkai before it could fully transform. The humans would be easy enough to handle then. But even as they approached a little closer, Sesshoumaru was forced to revise his strategy. The female was dressed in the garbs of a youkai exterminator while the priest held a potency to his ki that made the youkai lord wary.

Kagome was a little unsure about the situation. A part of her was delighted to see other humans, but another part of her was wondering at their intentions. Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru was still recovering and would probably be unable to survive if the trio made an attempt on their lives. But looking at them, Kagome felt that she could trust them. Pushing herself to stand, she caught Sesshoumaru's scowl and inwardly winced at the anger behind it. By standing, she had effectively announced the youkai lord's current condition. But it was done. Sesshoumaru's hand tightened on Tessaiga's hilt ready for any attack.

"Um, hi," Kagome began, frantically trying to think of something to say. "I'm Kagome and this is Sesshoumaru…" At the mention of his name, Kagome swore she could feel the heat of his anger rise several hundred degrees. She began to sweat in worry.

"I'm Miroku," came the priest's smooth masculine voice, "and this is Sango. The adorable little cat is Kirara. We are honoured to have your acquaintance. Please excuse our poor manners, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Kagome was rather taken aback by Miroku's diplomacy but was grateful as Sesshoumaru's ire subsided a little. Sango kept her eyes downcast in respect but she was apparently observing the scene intently. She knew that the priest was more than capable with his silver tongue and gave him the floor. The taiyoukai's unnerving gaze continued to train on them but the threat was now muted. 

Kirara however, made her way to the girl Kagome and gave a small mewl of greeting. Sango watched as the girl kneeled down and offered her hand to the little youkai to sniff. Purring in acceptance, Kirara butted her head against the hand and was rewarded with a scratch behind the ears. Mewling a little more, the kitten got its wish and was soon being cuddled and petted by the delighted girl. Sango was surprised at both Kirara's and Kagome's quick acceptance of each other. Watching the little youkai purring contentedly in the girl's lap, the two males could not help the envy that suddenly sprang up. Finally deciding to take the situation into his hands, Sesshoumaru broke the silence.

"Why are you here, humans?" came the terse question.

"We are searching for the youkai that destroyed Tamura village, Sesshoumaru-sama," was the straightforward reply. "We've traced its trail to this section of the forest before coming upon your lordship." 

Sesshoumaru's impassive face hid the frown he had. So this youkai had destroyed an entire village before facing him in battle. He knew that some of the more aggressive youkai would attack villages but that would only guarantee their destruction at either the hands of trained human exterminators like the female Sango, or eliminated by a taiyoukai employed at keeping the lands relatively safe. 

Sesshoumaru may not care about humans in general, but they served their purpose in ensuring his basic comforts. In return, they were largely spared from the more dangerous youkai by his active presence in the Western Lands. Something was not right here. As far as Sesshoumaru knew, there were very few youkai that could challenge him. Most of them had been killed by either him or his father in the past, and the few that remained chose to hide in the more remote mountains or move further north and east.

Miroku observed the youkai lord and guessed at the thoughts passing through his mind. The priest was more than familiar with the Western Lord's patrol of his territories and for a deadly youkai to suddenly materialise and attempt to beat the crap out of him was cause for question. He could see that the taiyoukai was still recovering from the serious wounds inflicted upon his person and Miroku had to admire the youkai lord's stamina. But he also had a feeling that the girl with him had subtly restrained the taiyoukai's more instinctive response to attack first and ask questions later. His curiosity began to wonder about Kagome and soon led his thoughts to other unrelated matters.

Sesshoumaru came out of his thoughts only to see the priest eyeing Kagome in a way that made him growl deeply in warning. It had the desired effect and everybody turned their attention to him. Kagome looked up surprised, then a little worried as she continued to stare at him. The priest, youkai exterminator and cat youkai had instinctively stepped backwards. Sesshoumaru levelled a dangerous look at the now sweating priest when Kagome crouched beside him and pressed a gentle hand against his uninjured shoulder.

"Sesshoumaru, are you okay? Does it still hurt? Maybe we should get the wounds cleaned up before they become infected," Kagome said, her voice edged with concern and worry. "I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner."

The youkai lord was taken aback at the girl's concern for his well-being and briefly enjoyed the attention before brushing it away when he remembered they had company. 

"I'm fine," he replied flatly as he shrugged her hand off his shoulder. He caught the hurt look in her eyes and felt a sudden pang of guilt at the cold treatment he gave her. But now was not the time for coddling, he wanted answers to his questions and was determined to get it out of the monk and exterminator. Turning away from the now silent girl, he decided to interrogate the other two humans. However, the priest beat him to it.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Miroku began forcing his voice to remain steady. He was still recovering from the brief crimson-eyed glare the taiyoukai had given him earlier. Miroku guessed that Sesshoumaru had known what he was thinking with regards to Kagome and had been generous enough to warn him. It looked like Kagome would be the only female Miroku would not have the pleasure of asking her to bear his child. His life was short, but not _that_ short. "Have you heard of the one named Naraku?"

When he heard that name, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in anger and understanding. He remembered that name from over fifty years ago when the miko Kikyo had sacrificed her life in guarding the Shikon from that foul hanyou. He had been too late in destroying the bastard but managed to prevent him from claiming the accursed jewel. When Kikyo had insisted that it be cremated with her, Sesshoumaru had attended the funeral to make sure that nothing would go wrong. The Shikon no Tama had vanished in the pyre's blaze and all that remained were the miko's ashes and her memory. 

Now, it seemed that the past was returning with a vengeance. And Sesshoumaru had every intention on making sure he did a satisfactory job in eliminating the repugnant creature once and for all. He regretted not pursuing the matter then and there but seeing as how the Shikon no Tama had vanished, he had let the matter rest. After all, Naraku was a pathetic excuse of a hanyou; a man who had perverted himself for the supposed power of the youkai. But fifty years could be considered time enough for even someone like Naraku to harness and control the usurped power of low grade youkai. And Naraku was manipulative enough to get what he wanted.

"We believe that the youkai that destroyed Tamura village was the product of Naraku's attempts to begin his quest for control of the lands. He has been suspected of having orchestrated several other attacks including the one on the exterminators' village. He himself has cursed me with the Kazaana and until he is defeated, I will eventually be sucked into the vortex itself," Miroku spoke with a quiet authority. He held up his sealed hand to indicate the said curse

"That creature will die by my hands once I find his foul carcass," Sesshoumaru replied, his voice low and deadly. His hand had tightened on Tessaiga's hilt and his battle aura flared briefly. The others flinched at the powerful display and had little doubt that Naraku's days were severely numbered. Both Miroku and Sango now knew why he was one of the most feared youkai to ever walk the Four Lands. 

Kagome watched quietly, her normal curiosity muted by the show of force but she was still smarting from the cold brush-off earlier. As much as she tried to tell herself it should not matter because that was just the way he was, she could not help but remember the small gestures that proved he was more than just a cold-hearted youkai. Thinking a little more on this as the informal meeting continued, Kagome came to the conclusion that Sesshoumaru had difficulty in accepting help from anyone deemed less worthy than him. Despite her concern over his injuries, Kagome could not suppress the surge of anger towards the arrogant youkai lord.

Miroku's explanation drifted off when he felt the strange power from before pushing through his sixth sense. Sesshoumaru had also tensed, sensing the disturbance in Kagome's ki. Glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes, he recalled that she was at her quietest since their first tempestuous meeting. He heard alarm bells go off in his head and he wondered at what could have set her off. Sango looked from one male to the other, uncertain of their sudden silence. Kirara had left the girl's side and was now crouched close by her side in anticipation of some attack. She then realised that they were all watching the silent girl whose head was bowed.

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'Could she be the one who possesses that incredible power?' Miroku wondered, his eyes widening in surprise. '_The power is too alike to be otherwise…'_

'What in the seven hells is she mad about this time?' Sesshoumaru wondered as he felt the rise in her ki. If she were to vent her frustrations, she would most likely take out half the surrounding area. And this time, Sesshoumaru knew he would not survive it. That left him with only one option and while a large part of him was disgusted for even thinking about it, a small part of him felt a strange thrill. Besides, he reasoned it may just throw her off long enough for the two humans to remind her of their presence. The thought that he denied was that of his curiosity since that first night of her arrival and the breaking of the barrier in wanting to know what it would be like.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said as he turned to look the frowning girl in the eye. "You need to control your temper."

Kagome's eyes widened at the statement and she opened her mouth to scream at the insolent youkai when she felt his tail wind around her waist and tighten. A moment later, she was on his lap and looked up to see his mouth coming down on hers. Before she knew it, Kagome was experiencing her first kiss and it was nothing like she had ever imagined – it simply blew her mind.

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Somewhere deep in the forest

Jaken cursed and swore as he finally caught up to the now calm pack animal. After the silly girl had run off to get herself killed, the pack animal had shied and bolted off. Torn between worrying for his lord's safety and the likely wrath he faced from the loss of their sole travelling rations, the retainer opted for the latter. Besides, his lord held the legendary Tessaiga and would no doubt make quick work of the spider youkai. And after the fight, he would probably set up a brief stop to change if his clothes were dirty. And a lost pack animal carrying his clothing would not improve his mood further.

"Why in the Great Youkai's name did you run off? You know I would look out for you and lead you away from the fight, you silly thing!" Jaken ranted as he grabbed hold of the trailing reigns. "Now Sesshoumaru-sama will knock me over the head for letting you run off," he continued to complain as he climbed up for the ride back. "And since that silly wench decided to get herself killed, poor Jaken would probably have his worthless throat ripped out as well," he moaned pathetically as the pack animal made its leisurely way back to its master.

Jaken was not unduly worried about Sesshoumaru's safety although he did keep his senses alert for any approaching predator. Although he could look after himself with the Nintoujou, he preferred to avoid any combat situation. A part of him resented his small stature but he was honest enough to admit to his physical shortcomings. In a way, that was one of the reasons he served Lord Sesshoumaru. With a powerful taiyoukai as his protector, the toad youkai's safety was assured. The only problem with it was the head thumping for his occasional failure in carrying out his lord's demands. But it was a very small price to pay for the indirect glory in serving the Lord of the Western Lands.

The sun was rising and Jaken began to wonder if his lord would be waiting at the site of the attack instead of making his way towards them. As time passed and the pack animal lumbered its way to the scene of carnage, Jaken found his thoughts wandering to the human girl that accompanied them. Jaken hated humans with a passion as they had often bullied and killed his kind simply because they could. Youkai of Jaken's calibre were considered low grade youkai and given their diminutive size, made it relatively easy to capture and destroy them. But the girl had been different, she had actually tolerated his presence and had never started any of the fights.

He remembered Toki's constant praise of the girl's kind and polite nature and had scoffed at it. He remembered their first meeting and the unpleasant memory grated at his pride. She did not have to laugh at him. True, he could have let it pass but he felt confident in challenging her with his lord's presence nearby. Unfortunately, all he got for his effort was a hard kick in the rear and a mouthful of brambles. The small comfort he received was when his lord warned her not to harm him. But it was after the incident in the study that Jaken began to wonder at the girl's hidden abilities. Seeing his master humbled in such a manner had been a traumatic experience. He had kept his distance but watched her closely in case she threatened his lord.

Unfortunately, the incident had appeared to intrigue the Western lord and instead of killing her, had chosen to embarrass her by helping him in the bath. Toki had giggled and speculated if Kagome was to be a little more than just the youkai lord's property and Jaken had balked at the very thought. He knew of the problems that the previous Lady had caused and damned if he were to let history repeat itself. His lord needed a strong youkai mate to produce strong youkai pups to help rule the Western Lands, not a strange and dangerous human female with a possible hidden agenda. Shaking his head, he then glanced up through the trees to see a dark-haired woman fly off in a feather boat. Curious, he tracked her northward bound journey until the trees blocked his view.

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'Odd, it seems that she was near the site where the youkai attacked,' Jaken frowned. _'I don't recall seeing her before. Could she have something to do with that spider youkai?' _

His worry grew and he urged the pack beast into a run. The trees thinned out and Jaken took in with relief the carcass of the spider youkai. He then realised that there were two additional humans and a small cat youkai sitting with his master and the girl. As he approached, he could see why the small group paid him scant attention. His eyes bulged and almost popped out of his skull and his mouth gaped opened widely. A strangled cry escaped but it went unheeded. There, sitting casually in his master's lap with his tail draped about her, the girl was kissing Sesshoumaru like there was no tomorrow. For the shell-shocked Jaken, it seemed that his worst nightmare had finally come to pass. 

The little toad youkai's eyes rolled up into his head as he passed out and he keeled over to tumble into the grass at the group's feet.

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Author's Notes: Finally done! Seems like a long-winded chapter to me but then I felt like I had a lot to say. Personally, I didn't plan to drag out the Sess meets gang scene but it just waffled out. Got to be a more strict in the editing process. But on the interesting stuff, eh?

So Sess kissed Kag… Why did I do that? Maybe because I'm a little frustrated from the earlier chapter. Yeah, I wanted the 'romance' factor to take a more active role so I cheated. I'm no Barbara Cartland so I decided to go ahead with it. Plus, I have a feeling a lot of people were bummed out by the 'near miss' at the end of the previous chapter. Well guys, how's this for ya? *lol* [Pardon the lack of description, it is supposed to be PG-13 after all!]

You know, I'm seriously starting to like the little toadie Jaken. I know that the anime is not exactly canon material but seeing how Takahashi-sensei has a fairly large say in things, I utilised it in my story. I think the little guy gets a bum rap in over 99% of the fics and I wanted to be different. And seeing how I've mapped out a large part of the story in my notebook, the little guy's going to get his chance in the spotlight. Hey… could it be that I'm trying to gun for the** "Best Portrayal of That Toadie Whom Everybody Loves to Hate But is Actually Greatly Misunderstood"** award? Oh, seems like I'm the only contender…

I'll stop blabbering seeing as how I must have stunned most of my readers with that earth-shattering revelation. ::tries to pry off a certain stumpy green teary-eyed youkai off her leg with a crowbar:: Oh, and don't forget to tell me how this went! "For Sess' sake, Jaken! You're cutting off my blood circulation!" 


	14. The Return Home

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Disclaimers: I only own a Sesshy plushie… Literally a small comfort.

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It's the New Year and here's the last part of the Tessaiga arc. I'm going to be busy for awhile but it doesn't mean that I'll be neglecting my writing. I would really love to find more inspiration to finish off my Weiss Kreuz fic if just because… But hey, stick around, I'll definitely be back!

Thanks to:

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Sunnygurl357 - This side of Sesshoumaru is a little more fun and a little less one-dimensional. I got it from the earlier manga chapters when he first appeared. The guy cracked me up with his sly smiles and sarcasm.

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gatogirl1 - Yay! Finally, someone has got the hint that there's **no** Inuyasha to play out in the overdone love triangle thing! Isn't it cute how protective doggies can get over their objects of affection? I just couldn't resist the obvious Miroku interest in wanting to proposition Kagome.

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Fyyrrose - Thanks for your compliments! The easiest thing to do is to check back once a month as I will have definitely updated by then. I, too, wrote in essay-based formats and sucked at dialogue. But unless you keep on trying and read good books, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, for inspiration, it will just stay as it is. And yeah, I'm a non-dialogue plot mover by nature. Dialogue only works for me when I feel that it is worthwhile adding in to enhance the scene.

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sashlea - Thanks! You must tell me where I can find that Jaken as Prince Charming story! It sounds really good.

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Familia-Ficz - Sesshy is not the lord for nothing! And yes, it's according to his whim and fancy. I think I would cry if I had to make him cold, dull and stoic all the time. Ugh! Jaken does get a bad deal most of the time so I've decided to put him in better standing. If you've seen and read the series, he actually functions as a narrator of sorts because Sess rarely speaks unless he feels that it's worth the time.

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Amreld - Had a waistline-expanding Christmas, thanks! Jaken's an okay fellow if you take him as he is and not put him down too much. As for adding soundtracks to my battle scenes - I listen to rock music when writing. Current favs are Saiyuki Reload's OP theme by BUZZLIP - Wild Rock and GetBackers 2nd OP theme by Pierrot - Barairo no Sekai. I haven't followed the American music scene since 1997; although I adore 80s' music. I listen to Japanese [Anime themes mainly] and other Asian artists including New Age and European techno [think Initial D].Trust me, they rock just as hard, if not harder!

And thanks to** Suki 1, Saria4, myinuyasha04, lydia, haley, TenshiYoukai no Yugure, Anime-mistress585, NIGHTSCREAM, 45, Deka Dieche, depressed-girl001, hotaru-artist-1986, Cattiebrie393 and Sesshie lover **for encouraging me with your kind words!

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Chapter 12: The Return Home

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Southern territories of the Western Lands,

Three days later

It was as though nothing had happened between the two of them. Kagome had thought that Jaken would have been the one to rail at her over the incident but the little retainer had kept his mouth tightly shut. The only indication he gave of having remembered it was the slight shudder whenever he had to talk to her. 

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, exhibited his usual stoic indifference and bored facade. And Kagome was for want of a better word - confused. But that had only lasted for the first couple of days, now, she was starting to simmer at the youkai lord's cold demeanour. It looked like she would have to be the one to tackle the _issue_. But how was she to do it without the risk of possible dismemberment? Not to mention the fact that he was punishing her by keeping up such a gruelling pace.

Unknown to Kagome, Sesshoumaru himself was deeply troubled by a slew of thoughts. Aside from the spider youkai's exceptional speed and strength, Jaken's report of a suspicious individual leaving the scene and the renewed threat of Naraku, was that of the girl who was following him. As he always took the lead, Sesshoumaru was thankful that the girl was unable to read his face. 

Never had he met anyone who made it so difficult for him to retain his mask of calm. And thinking of her brought back even more unwelcome thoughts of how she had felt against him, her soft lips pressed to his -- _'Stop it!'_ roared the cold voice within. '_Dwell on it any further and you'll start to regret things and Sesshoumaru _**never**regrets any of his actions whatever they may be.'

But even as he led the small group towards its destination, he could not help but feel if this time he would.

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Naraku's Palace,

Far north on the boundaries of the Western Lands 

Naraku glared into Kanna's mirror as he watched the travellers winding their way through the forest. He was still sore from the death of his prized spider youkai and laid curses against the youkai lord and that mystical blade he wielded. But Naraku was not one to allow his defeat to dampen his spirits for long. Before the day was out, he was once more deep in thought about his next step in gaining control over the taiyoukai and his lands. 

But that did not stop the sharp prickles of anger whenever he watched the silver-hair youkai within the mirror's depths. However, this time round he observed the ebony-hair girl who was now Sesshoumaru's constant companion. She held the key to his success, but Naraku was still unsure of she would best fit into his plans.

Kagura remained in the room with him but had remained quiet and oddly submissive. Perhaps she realised that her master was in an unforgiving mood and took pains not to attract undue attention. But Kagura was quiet for more than simply self-preservation, she was contemplating what she had witnessed and how it had merely strengthened her resolve to escape from Naraku's clutches. 

Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands held the answer in the form of that deadly blade and Kagura was barely keeping her excitement suppressed at thoughts of Naraku's imminent demise at the taiyoukai's hands. But until that day, she would have to bide her time while plotting a means to an end of Naraku's stranglehold on her heart.

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Sango and Miroku continued their journey throughout the land hoping to find further clues as to Naraku's hideout. After their encounter with the youkai lord, they had been relieved that it had ended amicably. Sesshoumaru had granted them leave to roam his lands in order to discover the fiend's hideaway, on condition that he, Sesshoumaru, to be immediately informed once it was discovered. Sango and Miroku were smart enough to realise that Sesshoumaru was intent on bringing down the cursed hanyou and were secretly grateful if feeling slightly cheated. 

After taking their leave of the taiyoukai and the mysterious girl in his company, they had discussed their course of action and agreed to continue their exploration together. Barely a minute after Sango's agreement, Miroku was nursing his sore cheek as the exterminator stomped off to the river muttering about perverted priests and their roaming hands. Kirara had merely yawned and curled up into a fluffy ball by the campfire.

Miroku ignored the dull throbbing and returned his thoughts to the girl that gained the protection of the taiyoukai. He knew that Sesshoumaru was only just tolerant of humans but that girl possessed something of great power that made even the youkai lord wary. Whatever that power was, the girl also lacked sufficient control over it and that could be dangerous for all concerned. 

This then brought him to the next issue - Naraku. The fact that he was causing problems and seemingly advertising them was worrying. It could mean that either he was now even more powerful than before or that he had a refuge to retreat to that was impregnable. Naraku was basically a coward who manipulated people behind the scenes and rarely engaged in any confrontations personally. That certainly made their job in tracking him that much harder. After all, the only clues he left behind were that of the dead who could tell no tales.

Looking up into the heavens, Miroku pondered upon the fate of things and wondered if he would ever find the salvation he so desperately seeked.

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Musashi Village,

Two days later, late afternoon.

The aged miko Kaede made her way to the Bone-Eater's Well, her thoughts from two weeks back still making their way across her mind. Each day since the sudden burst of raw energy that had rippled through the forest from the well, she had made her way to stand by its edge. The body of the snake youkai had been thrown into the well as ordered and even now, a faint glimmer of the bones could still be seen. 

It was odd in the miko's opinion, as the bones of youkai should have disappeared by now. Something strange was happening but for the life of her, Kaede had no idea as to what it could be. The only thing that she could speculate was that this phenomenon was in some way related to that power burst.

As she continued to ponder the problem by the well, her keen miko senses detected the faint aura of a youkai. She drew her bow and notched an arrow in expectation of the approaching threat. But instead of the rampaging beast she was expecting, the tall, regal figure of the youkai lord Sesshoumaru coolly stepped up to the well. 

Realising that the taiyoukai was uninterested in her presence, she lowered her weapon and bowed respectfully. Kaede remembered the favour that the youkai lord had done when he had ensured the fulfilment of her late sister Kikyo's wish of burning the Shikon no Tama with her body. Once the rites were carried out, the taiyoukai had left as silently as he had appeared.

Sesshoumaru stood by the well, his thoughts unsettling his usual calm. He could hear Kagome and his retainer approaching but refused to turn around to acknowledge their arrival. Throughout their journey, he could sense the emotional charge from the girl but had consistently avoided the issue, instead pushing her to exhaustion with the hard travelling. That was why they had arrived at the Bone Eater's Well two days ahead of schedule. 

Kagome panted softly as she cleared the border of the forest. Jaken had taken to riding the pack beast and she envied his small stature for once. The ox youkai was not a means of human transport as it was for luggage. Jaken, on the other hand, was small enough to perch about its neck and had made the best of the situation. Kagome had pushed herself as she had no desire to repeat the incident of being flung across the youkai lord's shoulder. And judging from his current attitude, he would have probably left her behind. The hot and cold treatment he held towards her was emotionally draining.

Kaede took in the girl's appearance as she stepped out into the late afternoon sunlight and gasped in shock and amazement. Despite the years of living alone, Kaede still remembered every detail of her beloved sister's face. And now after fifty years, her reincarnation was walking in the company of the formidable youkai lord. Kaede was not naïve to believe that it was truly her sister Kikyo but a small part of her still hoped otherwise. Observing that Sesshoumaru continued to pointedly ignore the girl and herself, Kaede decided to attempt an introduction.

"Greetings to Your Lordship and his gentle companions," Kaede began. Sesshoumaru's only acknowledgement was a brief flick of his eyes in her direction but the girl's face brightened considerably. Obviously travelling with the youkai lord and his retainer had been a trial for her. Jaken huffed and Kaede paid him no mind - her attention was riveted to that of the young girl.

"Uh, hi," Kagome began hesitantly. Despite her meeting with Sango and Miroku, she was still a little shy dealing with the humans of this world. "My name's Kagome," she concluded quickly.

"This humble one's name is Kaede," came the aged woman's reply.

Kaede bowed once more in the girl's direction. Kagome herself instinctively bowed in deference to the elderly woman and could not help wondering why she was out alone by the well. Her gaze wandered in the direction of the well and she came to two startling conclusions. Could this mean that Sesshoumaru was keeping his promise in letting her return home? It seemed that way unless he held a nasty surprise for her. But after the time she had spent in his company, she knew that he was a youkai lord who took his code of honour seriously.

The other reason she could think of was that he meant to leave her here if she was unsuccessful in her attempts to return to her world. The old woman dressed in the traditional robes of a miko was perhaps the caretaker he had planned to be assigned to her. As kindly as she looked, Kagome had no intention of remaining behind. And that made her realise how important that stubborn youkai had become to her. The thought of that began to terrify her.

Sesshoumaru had noted that the body of the snake youkai he had destroyed was missing although there was a faint taint of its stench. He then happened to glance down into the well and saw that the miko must have had it dropped into the well to be disposed of. He hoped that Kagome would not be too upset if she had to venture into the well's depths with the bony remains of the snake youkai's carcass. But knowing the girl, she would probably be less than co-operative. As if in response to his concerns, he began to pick up a change in her aura that snapped his attention to the present.

Kaede watched closely as the taiyoukai edged his way towards the girl who was now eyeing him with a mixture of fear and anger. Her miko senses detected the change in the energy levels that surrounded the girl and she realised that the girl was the source of it. However, before she could open her mouth to speak, Sesshoumaru had pounced upon the girl. A sharp look directed at Kaede was the only warning the youkai lord was willing to give her. Her brow furrowed with worry at the fate of the girl struggling within the inu youkai's arms, Kaede had no idea how to resolve the situation.

"Let me go!"

"Silence, wench!" 

"Ow! You're hurting me! What are you doing?"

"Preventing all of us from being incinerated by your wild magic," came the stern reply.

"Well, stop frightening me and let me go!" Kagome shouted as she pushed against the iron bands of his arms.

However, Sesshoumaru had managed to wrestle her towards the well's edge. Kagome twisted her head and saw the dangerous position she was in. What made it even more horrible was the glimmer of what looked like the bones of a dead animal – a _big_ dead animal. That only gave her a sudden burst of strength to shove hard against the youkai lord only to realise too late that he had managed to lift her over the edge. Kagome felt the sickly sensation of a fall happening as her eyes locked with the taiyoukai's. 

As the magic caught her and whisked her away through its mysterious portal, Kagome carried within her the memory of haunted amber eyes. 

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Author's Notes: 

It's funny really, how sometimes things don't go according to plan. Here I was thinking of writing about the kiss' aftermath but instead copped out by going in an entirely different direction. I've been doing that a lot with this story I realise. I mean, the cave incident previously and the scroll one prior to that also pretty much wrote themselves out. Also, the fact that I wrote the chapter after this before I completed the latter is another case in point. A good friend of mine once said that a story that writes itself can be a lot more fun than one that is too meticulously planned. Well Ken-Chan, I guess you're right. I really do like the way it's turning out.

I'm quite glad that I have fans who like the way the story is progressing. I know it's slow but you have to admit, sometimes it's better to just enjoy the characters' interactions for what they are – interactions. But since the first part of this story is in essence over, I'll be moving on to the next part. Unlike my other story 'Dark Moon Ascendant' which is deliberately separated into definite parts, I don't plan on doing it for 'Entwined Destinies'. Things will simply proceed on their merry way as and when I feel up to it, so don't give up hope (at least, not yet!). 

So do drop a little something in the box below to let me know what you think. Till the next time, ja mata ne!


	15. The Dark Shikon Magatsushi

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Thanks to all who have supported this story since its first chapter. I hope that the new chapters will continue to entertain you and make this story a unique one in the realm of the Sesshoumaru/Kagome pairing. One can definitely hope, right? And now on with it!

~ Bern (Feb 2004).

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Chapter 13: The Dark Shikon - Magatsushi

Deep within the forests that bordered the territories of the Four Lands, a shrine stood hidden by the heavy mists. Its dark wooden walls and wide roof effectively blocked out what little sunlight that bravely trickled in through the thick foliage of the trees soaring overhead. Within these walls, a pale figure knelt before an altar seemingly in deep prayer. However, a strange sickly purple glow emanated from between cupped palms as the silent form continued its dark meditations. Finally, a sharp burst of light shone briefly through and she sighed in relief. Hopefully, this would be the last time that she would have to perform such a complex and spiritually draining ritual.

As if aware of its completion, two other figures stepped out of the shadows. A tall, thin man that held a strong resemblance to a snake gave the woman an evil smile that bared his sharp teeth. His companion appeared as that of a human male, cultured in his bearing. Only an anxious look belied his tension for the upcoming moment. It had taken them the better part of fifty years to formulate and refine the process all the while escaping detection by any of the Four Lords of the Lands. If they had known what was being done, the three conspirators would have been slain immediately for their treachery.

The woman held her cupped hands towards the other two and they crowded around it to gaze in wonder at the softly glowing ball within. Its radiance shone out, almost caressing each face in an unspoken temptation. Even as they stared at it, they could feel the power it radiated, drugging their senses. Finally, the woman managed to find herself and quickly shielded it from her companions' sight. The snake-like man almost hissed at her in anger while the other rubbed his eyes and tried to refocus his thoughts.

"Why do you hide it from my sight, Kuromiko?" demanded Orochidayuu as his eyes narrowed fiercely. "The Magatsushi is not yours alone, but ours too."

"You were beginning to lose reason, Orochidayuu," Kuromiko Tsubaki replied coldly. "A moment longer and we three would have killed the others to possess it. I simply prevented that from happening by shielding it from sight."

"It is indeed worthy as the Shikon no Tama's successor," Izumo murmured. "The power it exudes almost seduces one, does it not?"

The three glanced at the closed palms of the dark priestess and noted the pale glow that still slipped through. Even shielded, its power hummed with promise and the three shivered in anticipation of the future. For Kuromiko, it was the labour of a lifetime after her descent down the path of the forbidden occult. For Orochidayuu, it was the promise of a glorious future with him in control of the Four Lands and its former Lords humbled at his feet. And for Izumo, it held the answer to his cursed existence of being neither human nor youkai but hanyou. With this, he could retain his humanity yet usurp the power within that was youkai.

And now that it was complete, the Magatsushi awaited in fulfilling its sinister purpose.

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Naraku's Palace

Kagura made her way down the damp stone steps into the secret chamber where Naraku dwelt. Each day, he made it a point to retire to his sanctuary in order to recharge and contain the raw youkai energy within him. Ever since that day when he had made a deal with the youkai swarm to exchange his humanity for their powers, he constantly faced a tiring job of keeping them in line. However, as time passed, he became more and more proficient in controlling them that it was now an almost pleasurable activity. Like a bather would relax in a hot spring at the end of a busy day, Naraku saw each session as a means of exerting his will upon the swarm he held within.

"Naraku," Kagura's voice echoed throughout the chamber and he frowned in annoyance at her unwelcome presence. "I've brought news of your latest obsession."

"Well?" came the curt reply.

"It has been completed and apparently, this is the real thing," Kagura replied pointedly. "At least, as close to it as they can get it."

Naraku's ears pricked up at the information. "Indeed? How interesting," came the almost gleeful reply. "And after so long, I'd thought that they'd either given up or died trying to accomplish it. Good work, Kagura, you may leave. Send Kanna down here, I wish to see it with my own eyes."

Turning on her heels and walking off, Kagura allowed a frown to creep over her features. This was not good. If the Magatsushi were everything Naraku believed it to be, she would be forever bound to him, if not reabsorbed into his accursed body. Unfortunately, Kagura was unable to think of a way to sabotage or at least hinder Naraku's plans at the moment. As much as she had hoped that Sesshoumaru and his powerful blade would split the bastard down the middle, the youkai lord had returned to the affairs of governing the Western Lands. As for the mysterious girl that had accompanied him, she seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. 

'_So much for lords in shining armour_,' she muttered inwardly. Passing by the pale girl on her way out, she nodded towards her to meet with Naraku downstairs. Ignoring the silent girl as she disappeared down the stairs, Kagura headed out into the garden. Suddenly wishing to escape the stifling atmosphere of Naraku's palatial home, she removed the feather from her hair and flicked it out with a quick snap of her wrist. The feather boat appeared and soon the wind-controlling youkai was a speck in the distance winging her way westwards.

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Counsel Room of the Western Fortress, 

Late afternoon

Sesshoumaru inwardly groaned as the Lord of the Eastern Lands, Honouryuu, once again demanded a final confirmation of their plans. Ever since rumours of a strange power like that of the Shikon no Tama had surfaced, the Eastern Lord had been jittery and at times paranoid about it. To a certain extent, Sesshoumaru could understand his concerns; after all, his brother had been consumed by it when he and several other taiyoukai had challenged the legendary miko Midorika centuries before. Still, Lord Honouryuu's excessive demands on fine-tuning their assault plans on the suspected individuals in possession of the 'fake' Shikon was grating on all the other Lords' nerves.

"Lord Honouryuu," pleaded Lord Akira of the Southern Lands, "we have done all we can in preparing the battle plans. As much as we can plan for it from here, we must also concede that once in the field, some things may have to be adapted or improvised." The copper-gold kitsune held out his hands in supplication to the huffing dragon lord.

"Lord Akira is correct," growled Lord Daikuma of the Northern Lands. "Our strategies are as sound as we can make it in the meeting room. It is only on the battlefield that we can test it." The towering black bear rested a huge clawed paw on the edge of the table, a silent hint as to the discussion's end. He, too, was starting to get irritated with the red fire dragon's incessant whining about re-designing the strategies several times over for a clear victory.

Sesshoumaru made use of the two lords' hints to end the meeting promptly and have his guests shown to their quarters. Lord Daikuma was generally an impatient individual while Lord Akira was similar to Sesshoumaru in patience. Unlike the colder Lord of the Western Lands, the kitsune was warm and friendly; a born diplomat with a sincere personality and generous spirit. Sesshoumaru favoured him among the other lords, although he rarely, if ever extended the same generosity. In some way, Lord Akira reminded Sesshoumaru of his late father before the deaths of his mates.

After the Lords had left for their rooms, Sesshoumaru made his way to his private study. After that trying session, he needed a temporary reprieve from the overwhelming demands of his position. Even though he had accepted his role, Sesshoumaru still craved something more but a stubborn part of him refused to allow him to explore that want. It did not help matters that since his meeting with the strange girl from the well who had come barrelling into his ordered life and left him just as suddenly. Well, as suddenly as he had tossed her into the well from which she had appeared several months before.

Making his way to the balcony overlooking the forest below, Sesshoumaru allowed a small sigh to escape. He had firmly believed that once the mysterious girl Kagome left, his life would once more return to the calmness he had always enjoyed. But that calmness now eluded him and more than once he would find himself passing her room where traces of her scent barely lingered. Denying his more than passing interest in her was a lie and he knew it. Now, it would seem that the saying of absence making the heart grow fonder was not so much a cliché. Sesshoumaru's hands tightened over the railing, his head lowered to allow the silver fringe to cover his eyes; he missed her more than he thought it was possible. 

The soft knocking snapped him to the present and Jaken's voice announced his presence. Frowning at the retainer's higher than normal pitch, he ordered the youkai to enter.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," came the slightly out of breath words. "There is a messenger from Lord Daikuma's lands bringing an urgent message. The lords are meeting in the Counsel Room at this moment to hear it."

Without a word, Sesshoumaru moved swiftly towards the meeting room. Something was wrong, he could feel his senses tingling at the unknown threat that the message no doubt brought. Only Lord Daikuma's messengers were stealthy enough to track the followers of Kuromiko Tsubaki. As he approached the Counsel Room, Lord Akira joined him and they could both hear the highly agitated voice of Lord Honouryuu trying to override the deeper baritone of Lord Daikuma. At the entrance of the two lords, Lord Daikuma's heavy-set features relaxed slightly. Standing by his side was his messenger, a young-looking tanuki wearing his lord's colours and insignia.

At Sesshoumaru's slight nod, Lord Daikuma gestured for the tanuki to present his message. It was short but startling in its clarity. For a moment, the four lords stared at one another in shock before Lord Honouryuu released a great groan of dismay. Lord Akira frowned and shook his head while Lord Daikuma rumbled low in his chest. Only Sesshoumaru retained his silence, his narrowed eyes the only sign of the worry within him. It seemed that events were starting to overtake him before he could prepare a suitable counter-measure. It looked like the only solution was a full-scale assault - the Four Lands were headed for war.

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Higurashi Shrine, modern day Tokyo

A few days later

Kagome paused as she felt a strange feeling flow through her. Blinking in surprise, she instinctively reached down her left side where the pulse felt the strongest. But as suddenly as she had felt it, the sensation passed. Frowning slightly, she rubbed the area tenderly as though wondering if there was something there. Ever since her sudden return home, after being rudely dropped into the same well she had climbed out of in the Sengoku Jidai, Kagome had developed a healthy respect for the supernatural and other extraordinary things. It seemed that the stories her grandfather enjoyed boring them with had more than a grain of truth as she had discovered firsthand. After all, what human male could compare to a silver-haired inu youkai lord from the past?

Smacking her forehead lightly for even thinking of Sesshoumaru, Kagome forced herself to remember the less than polite treatment he had shown her just before she magically appeared inside the well shed where she had been previously spirited away. It was not that she had been all that hesitant to jump in; it was the possibility of something lurking at the bottom that caused her pause for thought. Instead of reassuring her, he had simply picked her up and let go over the opening. Gritting her teeth at the unpleasant recollection, Kagome gripped the broom handle and roughly swept the yard as the autumn leaves scattered about her from Goshinboku's branches. 

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'That youkai can rot for all I care, the JERK!' she fumed. _'How dare he toss me down the well without a care especially after I helped get that sword and after kiss--'_ Kagome shook her head violently as that memory came back to haunt her. For the past few months that she had been home, the memory of his kiss still caused her to wake up occasionally at night with very, _very_ embarrassing dreams. 

Even now, she could feel the heat across her cheeks and she scrubbed at them hoping to erase the flush. It had not helped matters that her mother had gushed after hearing of her daughter's first kiss despite the fact that he had been a taiyoukai lord. '"A guy is a guy,"' she had put it simply. Kagome's eyebrow still twitched at that.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt end when another wave of that same feeling rocked through her body. Gasping lightly, she sank to her knees with her hands clutching her side. Looking up, Kagome realised that something was very strange, for the power seemed to be coming from within her. It appeared to be protesting about something but the girl had no idea as to what it might be. 

Her eyes refocused and she found herself staring at the well shed that her grandfather had sealed after her return. She didn't want to but something deep within called her to it. It was a weird feeling; one part of it seemed to be unhappy about something but another part of it was summoning her to the sealed well. Unfortunately for Kagome, she was currently alone at home with nobody to seek help from. She had to decide on her own which to follow.

Drawing in a steadying breath, Kagome allowed herself to calm down and focus on the feelings within. After all that she had been through, she had started a form of meditation to control if not tame the power within her. But it was only today, since her return that she had felt such an overwhelming sensation. Allowing herself to immerse within it, she could feel its intentions. Opening her eyes, she got to her feet and made her way hesitantly to the well shed.

Easily breaking the fragile paper seals, she was stood by the well's lip. There was a strange swirling mist that had appeared within its depths but unlike before, it was not threatening. On the contrary, it seemed to invite her in. Kagome, however, was not brave (or stupid) enough to jump in. A minute later, it faded and she peered tentatively over its edge. It was dark but her eyes soon adjusted to it. Something tugged at her senses once more and she frowned, suddenly wary. Swallowing, she stared hard into the well and saw a pale figure lying at the bottom. In the next moment, a low groan echoed in the space and her heart rate skyrocketed in fear prompting her to bolt from the well. 

Tripping over her feet, she fell on her rear and hastily scooted backwards. Frantically scrambling to escape, she turned to run as she felt the being's presence stir. Before she took more than half a dozen steps, she sensed before feeling, a hand grabbing her shoulder. Screaming loud enough to scare the birds outside, she was quickly gagged by the other. She struggled as she was pulled against its body when a familiar masculine voice grumbled in her ear - a voice that haunted her dreams ever since her return through the well.

"And hello to you too, Kagome…"

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Author's Notes:

So how many can guess where I got my inspiration from for this pretty set-up? Inuyasha fillers are quite interesting even if they are not considered canon in the strictest sense of the word. But after watching the Magatsushi episodes, I just could not help but to wonder about the possibility of a Shikon no Tama rival. And so given my ever 'creative' laziness, I decided to incorporate it in. But the trick would be in presenting the rest of the story without ripping off too much from the anime [like I'm all that innocent of it]. I hope you'll bear with me on this.

So Sess is in Kag's world… Doesn't seem too perturbed about it but then again, she's the first person he meets after crossing over [whoa, sounds like he kicked the bucket or something, eh?] So what's a youkai lord to do in a world where humans rule? Well, you'd have to wait for future chapters in my somewhat meandering tale… *laughs* And what is happening? Why is everything so scattered in sequence? Well, things will be unfolded in the following chapters. I just wanted to leave things on a cliffhanger of sorts.

So till then, let me know how you like the way things are progressing. Ja mata ne!


	16. A Fine Balance

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Thanks to all the lovely reviews regarding this fic. I know that some of you are wondering as to what in the world is going on, but bear with me a little longer. I do have this arc fairly well plot out, but just need to find the time and inspiration to sit at the computer to type it out. It may seem a little messy for now with the story apparently jumping about, but there's a very good reason. I've also realised that I'm itching to edit the entire thing from the beginning to standardise some things – blame my inner perfectionist for that. But don't worry, the story will still continue on. I just hope I have enough stamina to finish the marathon.

PS: I'm really touched that this story has been nominated for the Best Action/Adventure category at A Single Spark Fanfiction Awards. A big thank you to all who thought it was worthy enough to be ranked among the best writers out there.

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Chapter 14: A Fine Balance 

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Territories of the Western Lands,

Late afternoon

Jaken huffed and puffed as he made his way through the thick undergrowth of the forest. Beside him, Toki kept pace but even she was finding the terrain draining. The two small youkai were hoping to reach their destination without being detected by Naraku's minions but it was becoming increasingly difficult. If they were caught now, their mission would fail and the entire Four Lands would be plunged into peril. As the way things stood, the loss of two of the Four Lords - Daikuma and Sesshoumaru - had severely weakened the resistance against Naraku's tightening grip over the Lands.

"Hurry, Toki," Jaken pleaded as he swiped at some of the more tenacious brambles with the Nintoujou. "We need to reach the northern boundary of the Western Lands to seek out Toutousai. It's only past this ridge."

"Hai, Jaken-san," the tired servant replied as she struggled to pull herself up past some boulders. "Surely you can proceed on without me? I'm only slowing you down."

Grunting with the strain of pushing his own tired body, Jaken only gave her a half-hearted glare. Toki smiled back slightly in response before focusing her strength on the climb. She knew that Jaken would insist on waiting with her instead of going on ahead. Jaken may be a pompous little youkai at times, but he had a streak of loyalty so wide, it would put the sea to shame. Sesshoumaru was greatly fortunate to have such a devoted retainer in the little toad youkai.

They finally broke through the rough terrain and overlooked the bleak, scorched land of Toutousai's domain. The earth appeared to be cracked in places and red-hot lava issued slightly from them. The heat itself seemed to sear them even though they were still a good three hundred metres from the nearest crack. In the distance, they could faintly make out the shape of a hill where a darker shadow indicated the presence of a cave. Giving each other a quick look, Jaken and Toki then made their way quickly down the incline and swiftly, if gingerly, began their trek across the heated plain to Toutousai's home.

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Naraku's Palace,

Boundary of the Northern Lands

"Where is that damned bastard?" Naraku growled to himself as he paced the length of his room. Kanna stood by the balcony, the rays of the setting sun eerily absorbed by the mirror she carried within her hands. Like the mirror, she too seemed to absorb the rays of the dying sun, only her thin shadow stretching into the muted light of the room.

Twisting round, he stared once more into the mirror's depths frantically searching for the elusive taiyoukai that plagued his nightmares. The Lord of the Northern Lands had been the first to fall in battle, thereby allowing Naraku to seize control of his lands and resources. The lords of the Eastern and Southern Lands were still putting up a fierce resistance but Naraku was confident that he would soon gain the upper hand. Honouryuu was old and not a very good leader or strategist, whilst was Akira at a disadvantage given the Southern Lands limited resources and territories under its control. They were not his real worry as Kagura would be more than capable of handling them.

The Lord of the Western Lands though, was another problem. Unlike the other three, Sesshoumaru was more ruthless, cunning and charismatic than the three lords combined. And until Naraku had that inu youkai's body at his feet and his bloody heart squashed in his hand, Sesshoumaru was the biggest threat to his existence. As Naraku's thoughts got progressively darker, the small jewel clutched in his hand glowed brighter with a sickly red-grey colour. As it caught his eye, Naraku lifted it slowly to his eyes and stared into its mesmerising depths. As though calming him, the jewel pulsed softly and Naraku smiled contentedly.

Sesshoumaru would make his appearance sooner or later, and Naraku would be more than ready to welcome him then.

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Boundary of the Eastern and Southern Lands,

Evening

Kagura gave a cocky grin as she sent a powerful wind in the direction of the attacking youkai. Its cutting power ripped through them and left a trail of severed body parts and other gruesome remains. Although Naraku had sent a swarm of low level youkai to back her up, the wind youkai was having a field day with the poor resistance that the youkai lords had mustered. The swarm that had accompanied her was now destroyed but the Saimyoushou was still largely active. They were making short work of those foolish enough to attack them directly.

However, Kagura's joyous rampage was quickly brought to a halt with the arrival of the wolf youkai Kouga. His unnerving speed and almost reckless assault threw her off-balance and Kagura was eventually forced to retreat. As she took off in her feather boat, she glared down at the smirking wolf and swore to get back at him soon. Like Naraku, Kagura hated to lose however, she lacked his patience and careful planning abilities. She made a good soldier but not a good general. Or perhaps on some level, she did not give a damn about anything but her own skin. Either way, it was a brief victory for the resisting youkai army.

"Have the wounded tended to," Kouga called out as he made his way to the embattled Southern lord's side. Bowing in deference to the dirt-stained kitsune, Kouga reached to pull out a small scroll bearing the seal of a wolf's paw print. Akira took it and breaking the seal, swiftly perused its contents. Smiling as he rolled it up, he reached to clasp Kouga's arm in a friendly salute.

"You have indeed come at an opportune time, Prince Kouga," Akira began. "The army is in dire need of reinforcements and I'm glad that the Grandfather has agreed to send in his best warriors to help us."

"No way, I'm gonna let that Naraku bastard tell us wolf youkai what to do!" Kouga said with a gleam in his eye. "We've agreed to a truce with the other youkai who are also fighting against Naraku, so we're able to leave our territories."

"I'm really glad to hear that," Akira replied, "It's strange how only in such adversity that we can somehow pull together. A pity that once the Four Lands are liberated, we'll go back to our usual way of life."

Kouga shrugged his shoulders. Unlike the more idealistic lord, he was more of a realist. Youkai in general did not like to live together in harmony, unless they were pack-oriented like the wolf clans were. Even then, it was strictly within 'family', so to speak. The Grandfather only claimed respect from the other wolf clans because of his wisdom, age and ruthlessness in all matters related to wolf clan lore. To cross him was to ensure one's death. But it was also known that he tempered his justice with mercy; any of the bitches or cubs left mateless or orphaned would then be taken in by the clan.

Akira paused in his speech when he realised that the wolf youkai's attention was drifting. Smiling slightly, he waved for his retainer. A small tanuki ran up and bowed low. Akira gave him his orders and sent him on his way. Turning to Kouga, he invited the wolf prince to join him for a quick meal before continuing with their battle plans.

"I heard that Sesshoumaru's missing," Kouga began. He noted the tightening of the kitsune's mouth at the Western Lord's name.

"So it seems," Akira replied slowly. "We had divided our forces in order to attack on four fronts believing that we were more than capable of defeating Kuromiko Tsubuki and her henchmen despite their feeble attempts to utilise the Magatsushi. We never expected to see Naraku making his appearance, although Sesshoumaru didn't seem too surprised."

"What happened then?"

"Simply put, all hell broke loose," Akira sighed deeply, rubbing a tired paw across his face. "Somehow, Kuromiko activated the jewel and it started to corrupt the lower level youkai in our armies. Daikuma and Sesshoumaru attempted to get it but Naraku and his followers showed up to further distract us. By the time we realised what was happening, Naraku had grabbed the jewel from Kuromiko. Daikuma charged him but was attacked by the female Kagura," Akira paused before giving Kouga a weak smile. "I believe you had the dubious pleasure of fighting her earlier."

Kouga's eyes widened. "You mean that crazy bitch is Kagura?" He grimaced and crossed his arms. "I'd heard of her but I didn't think she'd be that vicious. But then again, we're talking of that bastard Naraku." Kouga paused a moment and frowned once more. 

"We need a way to take Kagura down if we are to have any hope of kicking Naraku's butt."

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Within the territories of the Western Lands

Sango released Hiraikotsu into the air as Kirara dodged an attack from below. The huge bone boomerang cleaved a bloody path through the swarm of youkai as it arched back towards its owner. On the ground, Miroku faced off against a group of oni and finally decided to use his Kazaana when the fighting became too heavy. The air trembled around the deadly hand momentarily before being sharply drawn into the unknown void. A few seconds later, the screams of the oni being sucked in carried through the air. Gasping lightly for breath, Miroku then swiftly re-wrapped his hand within the beaded glove he wore.

Sango had managed to clear the sky of the remaining youkai and together with Kirara landed a few feet away from the tired priest. Approaching him, Sango quickly looked him over for any signs of injury but Miroku appeared fine. However, knowing the priest's lecherous nature, she desisted from actually touching him.

"Are you well, Lady Sango?" Miroku inquired, his eyes sweeping over her form in an all too attentive manner.

"I'm fine, houshi-sama," Sango replied trying hard to keep her blush down. 

His dark eyes were too probing and the way they lingered over her body was a little too intimate to be one of concern. But despite herself, she could not be angry with him. He looked drained and there were dark circles under his indigo eyes. Sango felt sorry for him. Aside from the constant battles they now faced, Miroku was also duty-bound to attend to the injured and those who needed the spiritual comfort only a priest could give. If she guessed correctly, the man was not sleeping or eating enough to sustain this continued exertion. Unlike her, Miroku was reliant not only on his physical strength but also on his spiritual one. And without a chance to recuperate, the demands on him would be too great.

"Let us find a place to rest, houshi-sama," Sango said. 

She gestured to Kirara and indicated for the tired priest to mount up after her. Shooting a warning glance behind, she was vaguely surprised that Miroku's hands remained in place. Only when Kirara leapt upwards did he reach out to grasp her around the waist. But he kept it there and was strangely quiet during the ride. Worrying at the priest's continued silence, Sango risked a peek behind her only to notice that he had his eyes closed. His breathing was even, so he seemed fine. Perhaps he was simply using the time to take a quick nap. 

Turning to look forward, Sango could not help but think that he looked adorable with his eyes closed in slumber. But even in her heart, she would never dare admit to the thrill of seeing his warm indigo eyes.

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Author's Notes: Okay, some may be wondering if I had skipped a chapter or two but I didn't. I was thinking of following the usual story-telling format but then decided, hey, why not mess things up a little? So here is the later chapter appearing before the earlier. Yup, I'm trying to be more than I should be - if that makes sense…

I plan to give a more detailed account of the battle and of Sess' time in Kagome's house over the next two or three chapters. Sort of like a multi-part flashback scene. It will tie-up some loose ends here and there, as well as to lead into the story proper. Pretty cool excuse for someone who suddenly realised that she kind of painted herself into a corner, isn't it? *nods head sagely* 

In this story, Kouga has been naturally gifted with super-speed. After debating with my muse, we agreed to use the souped-up Kouga. Besides, I thought it would perhaps make for an interesting fight later on. I also want to broaden Akira's role a little more. However, that will have to wait. What needs to be resolved is the Flashback before the story moves on to the Naraku arc.

And I've finally returned to Sango and Miroku as well. I know they are intended as minor characters but I can't just forget about them. They'll pop up here and there but as to how their roles will play out, I can't and won't promise anything. I just want the story to unfold as it is and hope that I can complete it without too much trouble.

I hope the story isn't too slow (no, I'm not referring to the updates! =p). I've pretty much paced things out but I'm still not too sure. With my mind being split between my job and business demands as well as my fics [which I certainly plan to continue if just to escape from real life], I may get rather confused about things. It's only so much that you can do to edit your own work so hopefully, I won't screw things up too much. And I have to constantly re-read my earlier chapters in order to remind myself of what had happened before and where I intend to go and how to get there.

So drop your comments/reviews into the box below to let me know what you think. And until the next chapter, ja mata ne!


	17. Flashback: Within the Binds of Fate 1

Disclaimers: I'm going to set a trap and nab me a hunky inu taiyoukai. And there ain't no one to stop me… at least, I hope not!

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**_Thank you:_**

_~  ***squeak*** : In this fic, Kagura and Kouga do not meet as they did in the manga/anime. This is an AU fic so I'll be manipulating the sequences and events according to my own ideas. I'm just borrowing certain aspects of it when I think it works [or if I'm just lazy]._

_~ **BluePhoenix4**: My chapters are around 2000 words long on average, sometimes more depending on where it can stop neatly. A lot of fics out there have very short chapters when compared to mine. Besides, it can be quite tiring to read overly long chapters [or have no chaptering at all – recalls the Discworld series]._

_~ **Sesshys Hime**: Thanks for your compliments! I just hope to keep the story going without too much trouble. Just wish my muse would get in line and stop being so hard to find. I hope the Flashback scenes will give you a better idea of what has happened._

_~ **MelloJen85**: Thanks for the tips on Buddhist traditions and your compliments. I only know about such things because I have friends from all walks of life and I take an interest in subjects like these. Thanks for supporting the Sess/Kag pairing!_

_~ **Hanyou-demoness**: No, I won't let you have Sess all to yourself! I'll definitely fight you for him. I liked the idea of blending the stern anime Sess with the more whimsical manga version of him to come up with this guy you're reading. Heh, he is quite appealing like this, isn't he?_

_~ **Kio-tye**: I update once every 3 weeks or so. I would update faster but I got too many things to do and I'm also trying to put together the later chapters without compromising quality. As for how soon is The End? I don't know… just wish my muse would return from its vacation though. _

_PS: I was threatened with being locked in a cupboard if I didn't stop talking about Sesshoumaru. Luckily, I managed to grab the keyboard and peer through the keyhole to see the monitor. I just hope I get let out soon… it's getting creepy in here._

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_~ **StesunaFanGirl, Tsuki Yume, Hill - Top - Sheep (baa), jarjayes, Vian, Kitsunekagome23, sashlea, writerlover101, Cattibrie393, CrystalBlueSeraph, Lunatic Pandora 1, migele, Toki Mirage, Suki1**: Thanks for all your lovely comments and compliments! My humble apologies for not updating as fast as possible, but I can never sacrifice quantity for quality. So keep reading to find out what's happening!****_

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**Chapter 15: _Flashback_ - Within the Binds of Fate (Part 1)**

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_Within the boundaries of the Western Lands,_

_The week before_

Sango jumped up when she heard Kirara's low growl of warning. Miroku had already brought his staff around and his eyes narrowed in concentration as he attempted to gauge the youki that emanated through the land. Sango unconsciously tightened her hold on Hiraikotsu as she saw the deep frown crossing his face and Kirara transformed. Although she was not as adapt as her other two companions in detecting approaching youkai, she more than made up for it with her combat skills.

"What is it, houshi-sama?" she asked the tense man as he continued to look eastwards. Looking away, he turned and flashed her a brief smile before sobering up.

"I sense a great jaki coming in from the east, Sango. It seems that something is brewing between the youkai and is now reaching the stage of outright fighting," Miroku replied. "We may be facing massive swarms of youkai soon judging by the speed they are approaching."

"You mean that the youkai are about to launch an attack about here?" Sango gasped in shock. "But only low-level youkai may swarm and usually it's to migrate from one feeding area to the next. Even so, they rarely do it."

"There is more to this than simple swarming, Sango," Miroku said. "I sense another power but it is too faint to make it out. However, it seems to be calling out to the youkai thereby causing them to swarm. And I wonder if…" he murmured as his face became thoughtful. 

Sango watched him contemplate the situation and decided to wait it out. If the swarm were planning to attack any of the surrounding villages, she would immediately step in and exterminate them. If they were swarming for some other reason, she would find out what was causing it and keep the information for future reference after taking it out. But some gut feeling told her that there was something sinister to this. The fact that Miroku mentioned another power 'calling' to them was disturbing. She hoped to observe the situation for herself. Turning her head, she caught the look in the priest's eye. Like her, Miroku had no intention of sitting on the sidelines. If anything, he was just as eager and gestured to the waiting fire-cat. 

"After you, my lady," came the smooth invitation.

Flashing him a quick grin, she hopped up and reached out to pull him behind her. A moment later, they were airborne and heading straight towards the heart of the swarm.

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Naraku's Palace 

As he made the final preparations, Naraku could barely suppress the smile that crept across his features. Things were starting to come together and Kanna's mirror had shown the massing of youkai troops on the boundaries of the forest where Kuromiko and her followers hid. As he continued to watch, the mirror focused upon the Four Lords, each in turn. 

A wider smirk curled his lips as he watched the heavy-set bear youkai wave his troops into place while roaring out his orders. '_Daikumo would be one of the first few to fall_,' Naraku thought to himself. Next to Sesshoumaru, the Lord of Northern Lands was another annoyance with his constant interference into Naraku's business. Unlike the bellowing bear youkai, Sesshoumaru calmly relayed his orders to his various field captains who then took it upon themselves to manage the troops.

Kanna's mirror then locked in on the sprightly figure of the kitsune lord and Naraku narrowed his eyes in contemplation. Although he had little interest in kitsune, he knew that they possessed some exceptional cloaking and masking magic. Perhaps Lord Akira may prove of use to him once he got a hold of the Dark Shikon. After all, if it can amplify the powers of the one that possesses it, no doubt he, Naraku, would be able to utilise those powers once the kitsune was absorbed within the jewel's infinite depths.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he focused on the final member of the group. He could see the agitated features of the dragon lord as he gave his orders and the harried looks his followers shot him out of the corner of their eyes. Lord Honouryuu looked like he wished to be anywhere but with his troops and Naraku could not resist a feral grin. As far as he was concerned, Honouryuu was a weakling and a coward who relied on the collective strengths of his neighbours as well as their goodwill in not invading his lands. 

Naraku's only interest in the dragon lord was his ability to produce a powerful fire that could melt rock. Such a pity that the one who wielded such a power lacked the backbone to complement it. No matter, Naraku would make very sure to include Lord Honouryuu's valuable ability within the jewel. As the mirror faded out, Naraku prepared his kugutsu to lead the youkai swarm. Kagura was outside awaiting his command and the swarm of youkai was beginning to increase in volume. Soon, they would become too great a force to control and Naraku had to make sure that they were away from his residence by then.

His kugutsu now complete, Naraku instructed the both of them to head towards the great forest. He watched the two climb into Kagura's feather boat and glide off into the darkening sky. 

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_Forest on the boundaries of the Four Lands,_

_Early evening_

Kuromiko Tsubaki replaced the seal that kept the Magatsushi from being detected by other youkai or spiritually-sensitised individuals. She knew that time was of the essence as the jewel's light was starting to darken and a sickly-glow would flare periodically. Although she and the others had managed to create the rival to the Shikon no Tama, it still possessed a degree of unpredictability and danger. 

Each day was an effort on her part to contain the wild power brewing within its depths and she was tiring. Soon, she would either be consumed or fail due to exhaustion. Frowning slightly, she began to wonder at the wisdom of having created such a dangerous object.

"Well Kuromiko, is the jewel ready for us to use?" Orochidayuu asked, his greedy eyes focused on the pale glimmer of the jewel.

"I have told you that it is still unstable, Orochidayuu. To use it now could ensure all our deaths as well as taking out half the forest," Kuromiko replied tersely. The youkai was beginning to irritate her with his constant demands to test the jewel. Can he not sense the danger it held? She sighed inwardly as she moved past him to step out into the forest. 

The fading warm rays of the sun filtered through the overhead branches and she closed her eyes briefly to relax in the calm. The past few months had been a trial for her as she struggled with the forging of the jewel and the demands it imposed on her soul. Although the others had assisted her wherever possible, she had been the primary creator in the jewel's conception. And now, she was beginning to regret it. 

As she continued to relax in her surroundings, Kuromiko was unaware that several miles away, stood two armies that would determine the jewel's ultimate fate.

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_At the boundaries of the Great Forest,_

_Twilight_

The final plans were settled and Sesshoumaru made his way to the makeshift camp before the assault was to begin. Throughout the day, his vassals and troops had been arriving in order to answer the summons of their lord and master. It was gratifying to know that they were as interested as he was in removing the Magatshushi from existence as they had been disturbed by its abilities. For a few of them like Lord Honouryuu, it brought back unpleasant memories of the war between several powerful youkai and the great miko Midoriko. And they all knew what had resulted from it.

Settling himself down for a brief respite from the activities around him, Sesshoumaru allowed himself to relax. He had trust in his troops and retainer to see to the more mundane aspects now that the crucial plans were out of the way. He had opted, instead of the base of the tree, for a high branch of a tree that shielded him from view but still within easy calling distance. Tilting his head back, he stared up into the deep blue of the darkened sky as if to touch it with his gaze. He could make out a few stars and his thoughts began to stray to someone he had hoped to forget.

_'Is she back in her world? Would she have forgotten about me?'_

Jerking up at the last thought, he roughly shook his head. Ever since that day of Kagome's disappearance down the well, he had been plagued with a sense of guilt and frustration. Guilt for mistreating her at the well and not thanking her for obtaining Tessaiga; frustration in feeling the pricking of his conscience from the guilt. He had never indulged in regret; it served no purpose but to depress the spirit and distract the mind. And he had Kagome to blame for reminding him of this weakness. He hated to admit it but a small corner of his heart yearned to see her, to remember what her smile was like, to feel the soft touch of her hands as they stroked through his hair. 

The more he had tried to deny it, the more he longed for it. In the end, he decided to accept that she had 'weakened' him if only to justify the ache within. It had helped ease the discomfort but it had also heightened the longing. He cursed himself at his foolishness but each time he looked at Tessaiga, it only served to remind him all the more. And since the day he had pushed her away, Tessaiga had remained silent. It was as if the sword too mourned for the girl and Sesshoumaru began to wonder if returning her to her world was the biggest mistake he had made. Perhaps, when the both of them breached that barrier within the Cavern, it had formed some inexplicable bond between them.

This brought another thought to mind: the barrier was a mystery to him. It had reacted so gently to Kagome, soothing her as it were yet had made no qualms of blasting him backwards. The manner in which he had been deflected bore an uncanny resemblance to Kagome's earlier assault on him. Could it be that the power she contained and the barrier were one in the same? It had felt that way - in more ways than one. He recalled the dreamy-eyed look in her eyes when she had touched the barrier and felt a slight quickening of his heart. She had looked so… sated. It was as though she had been recently made love to and Sesshoumaru quickly tossed that image aside.  

Taking a slow breath, he approached the mystery from a more objective manner. Assuming that Kagome's and the barrier's properties were alike, why had she not just walked through it? Why was it that only when he had touched her that the barrier actually allowed them both to pass through? He had not deliberately focus his ki but simply reached to pull her back. Perhaps it could have been something to do with him being a youkai. Somehow, his youkai heritage worked as a means of disrupting the barrier's flow thereby allowing it to be temporarily neutralised. With little else to go on, Sesshoumaru accepted this hypothesis for the moment. 

But the barrier had resumed immediately after they had fallen or rather, sucked in. Jaken's attempts to enter were rebuffed, thereby proving the transient nature of the barrier's failure to keep them out. But with regards to the sword, it became harder to rationalise. Why did Tessaiga's seal create that strange lethargy once it was broken? It had not been unpleasant but rather too pleasant as she had lain there curled upon his chest. She made him feel protective and gentle towards her, as if they were mated to each other. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at this and he mentally struggled with such an absurd notion. He considered humans as being below his station so how could he even consider one as a suitable mate? Even if it was someone as powerful as her and that she had helped him to transform Tessaiga. 

He sighed softly and returned to look up into the now dark sky for an answer. If Kagome were the only one who could allow him to transform Tessaiga into the mighty blade it was, he would have to persuade her to return. But that would mean having to venture into the strange well. Frowning, he quickly discarded the idea. He, the great Lord Sesshoumaru, would _never_ beg a human for anything, not even for Tessaiga. There must be another way to discover the secret to unlocking the power behind Tessaiga - the question being who was the one who had created it or who possessed knowledge of the mighty blade. 

Mentally sorting through his memory of ancient beings that may know of the sword, he finally came to a probable individual. Smiling slightly, he made a note to visit the reclusive sword-maker once his duties were taken care of. After all, Toutousai was the only sword-maker who possessed enough knowledge and experience in all types of blades to be able to solve the enigma that was Tessaiga.

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_Author's Notes: Well, again still skimping on the action sequences. I did promise to reveal more about why Kag and Sess were able to 'break' the barrier but without giving too much detail away. The truth is, sometimes it's nice not having to explain every little detail. Besides, I made it from Sess' point of view so that should make it easier. _

_The stage is set and the players are moving into place. I'm still working on how to draft the chapters but I just need a little time to get things sorted out. That's the problem with having too many characters' points of view - it gets confusing after awhile. That's why I'm so big into editing - everything must make some degree of sense and still maintain a flow. Overall, this chapter is just plot. I just hope that since it's mostly Sesshy's thoughts, it would redeem itself a little._

So till the next time, please let me know your thoughts on this, ja mata ne! 


	18. Flashback: Within the Binds of Fate 2

_Disclaimers: Only in my dreams… I just keep the non-canon characters._

_Thank you:_

**_CrystalBlueSeraph_**_: Thanks for the compliment! Well, the Flasback is going to take a few chapters to tell of what really happened so I hope that it will answer all your questions._

**_sashlea_**_: Heh…. I don't mind a little harassment now and then. It keeps the motivation going!_

**_Mademoiselle Morte_**_: All in good time… The story is moving along even if it does seem slow._

**_Toki Mirage_**_: There's plenty of action in the works. How's this chapter for you?_

**_Tsuki Yume_**_: Well, I do plan to sit down and re-read the entire story to the latest chapter and see how to get things moving. I'm not all out of inspiration; I just need some time to actually put it down on paper as it were. But thanks for the encouragement! As for the Jewel, the question will be answered soon._

**_Lunatic Pandora1_**_: Sesshy running into Kag's time to get Tessaiga to work? Heh… Who knows? Maybe he would or maybe he'll just suck it in and act all macho. Flip a coin!_

**_L_**_: It may seem a little confusing now because it is only the first part of the Flashback chapters. The end of Chapter 14 is like a jump in time. What happened in the battle is to be explained in greater detail here. I was teasing the readers with the ending._

**_jaryjosephwantsapplejuiceice_**_: Thanks for the compliments! As for whom Kag met at the well, it'll be a little while more. I'm just starting to get to the good parts now. How's that for further death by curiosity? ::lol::_

_Also thanks to: **bakaonna, Suki1, PegasusRider, Cattibrie393, **_**_IWorshipInuSesshyMalfoyLebeau, MelloJen85, Kio-tye._**

**Chapter 16: _Flashback_ - Within the Binds of Fate (Part 2)**

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_Within the Forest of Despair,_

_The night before_

Kuromiko Tsubaki gasped as she woke up drenched in cold sweat and shivering in trepidation at the nightmare that had plagued her. It had been happening more frequently between her bouts of sleep and now it had begun to encroach upon her waking thoughts. Her regret at creating the Magatsushi was now a palpable weight in her breast as the dark miko struggled to justify her actions each day. As it stood, the only one of the group who lusted after the jewel was Orochidayuu and his constant eyeing of the jewel's hiding place made it difficult for Tsubaki to leave the shrine that housed it. And by being so near to it, it had been the cause of her nightly agonies.

_'How can I destroy this thing without killing myself and taking out half the forest?'_ she pondered as she sat on the topmost stair of the shrine. Looking up at the harvest moon, she sighed softly in frustration. '_These nightmares are portents of the future, I just know it,'_ she thought grimly. _'And my greed has caused it to begin its cycle of doom.'_

Hidden from the miko's keen senses, Daikuma's spy made its way stealthily through the forest towards his lord's base. For the past two weeks, the young tanuki had been observing the comings and goings of the dark miko and her two followers and judging from the situation, it was time to make his final report. As he quickly made his way through the shadow-cloaked forest, he failed to notice a sudden movement before it was too late. A sudden hiss and the tanuki's mutilated body lay on the forest floor.

"It seems that we have attracted some unwanted attention, Izumo," Orochidayuu muttered as he kicked at the tanuki's severed head. 

"It looks like Lord Daikuma's colours," Izumo murmured as he picked at the tattered clothing. "I have no doubt that this spy was about to report to his master."

"Well, it can report to its master in hell," Orochidayuu hissed. "Quick, we must get Kuromiko to prepare the jewel for its purpose. No doubt, Daikuma is waiting to attack us to get his own grubby paws on the Magatsushi."

"Kuromiko is still unsure of the jewel's stability," Izumo replied as he kept pace with the swiftly moving youkai. "If it is still pulsing unhealthily, there could be a high chance of it exploding and consuming us within its sphere."

"I do not care for that," came to harsh response. "As far as I am concerned, any chance of success is a worthwhile reason. Besides, I don't think that Daikuma's acting alone. I have spotted some unusual activity by the Western border and if it involves Sesshoumaru, we _will_ be dead before then."

Izumo kept quiet as they continued their brisk walk towards the shrine. His thoughts were fluctuating between the need to use the jewel to ensure their success and the possible fallout if it failed. The thought of Sesshoumaru being involved in the affair heightened his anxiety but he did not voice it. As it stood, either way the Northern Lord will get wind of the situation before then. The tanuki spy was no doubt on its way to give his report on the matter. Suddenly, Izumo felt the urge to discuss things with Kuromiko. Orochidayuu was too hot headed and his avarice was more of a hindrance than an asset. 

As they reached the clearing, they saw the dark miko standing at the porch of the shrine to meet them. And judging from her expression, something was not right.

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_Northern boundary of the Forest of Despair,_

_Lord Daikuma's camp_

"My lord!" came the frantic cry.

Daikuma raised his head and glared down at the trembling form of his kitsune retainer. Since Kohachi's return to the forest to spy on Kuromiko and the group, he had had to put up with the somewhat high-strung kitsune. Despite the acceptable service, Daikuma still had trouble trying to keep the nervous fox youkai in check. He could not decide if the kitsune was nervous because of his position or because of him. Either way, the fox exhausted him.

"Speak, Kouryu," came the gruff reply. He could see the kitsune jump at his reply and sighed inwardly. _'I hope you return soon, Kohachi_,' came the thought. _'I don't think I can take much more of this.'_

"Y-y-yes, my lord," Kouryu began, his breath escaping in small squeaks. "I bring the reports from the Lords of the Eastern and Southern Lands for your perusal."

"Leave them," came the dismissive reply. Almost dropping the parchments by his lord's desk, the kitsune quickly bowed low before disappearing out the tent's opening.

Picking up the scroll, Daikuma glanced through the two lords' missives. It seemed that both Honouryuu and Akira had set up their bases on their respective borders and awaited the cue to begin the assault. Sesshoumaru had already sent in his and Daikuma had little worry of the Western lord's abilities. If anything, Sesshoumaru would probably end the fight before it broke out into a full assault. The former Inu no Taisho had trained his son well.

Pushing aside the tent's flaps he took in the sight of his troops moving about and settling the supplies. A few of the troops were practising their attack skills in a large field to his right, while the rest of them tended to the other necessary chores. Walking amongst his troops, he nodded in greeting and talked briefly to a few of the captains regarding manoeuvres and other military tactics. Satisfied, he then returned to his tent and began to handle other personal correspondences and matters.

Unbeknownst to the Northern Lord, a dark cloud hovered low in the horizon. The tall trees and hills hid most of them from view but if observed closely, appeared to be a swarm of some kind. Leading them looked to be a large floating feather wherein two individuals perched. The female sat in front as she steered her craft closer to the hillside. Swooping low, the feather boat paused for a moment to allow the second figure to leap off and disappear into the dense foliage. Swinging upwards once more, she continued on her flight nearing her final destination.

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_Naraku's Palace_

With his smile in place, the hanyou Naraku lounged in comfort while taking in the view from Kanna's mirror. As he saw it, things were arranging themselves nicely to his plans. A little while more and Daikumo will give the signal to charge the dark miko's lair. And when the confusion starts, he would step in and seize the jewel before escaping. Kagura and the youkai swarm would cause further distractions and aid his kugutsu in escaping. But until then, Naraku was a very patient individual.

"Show me the Northern Lord," he ordered and the mirror wavered slightly before clearing. Within its depths, Naraku watched as the heavy-set bear youkai moved his troops into position. 

Naraku's eyes narrowed in eager anticipation as the signal to begin the assault flared brightly in the dark sky. A moment later, the loud battle cries rang out as the troops from the four sides began their charge. The mirror switched its focus, and Naraku now took in the shocked faces of the three jewel makers as the forest suddenly burst into life. Scrambling quickly into the shrine, the barrier that was hastily erected managed to hold back the initial tide of warriors. As Lord Akira's troops were more conversant in magic, they applied various spells in an attempt to break the barrier before the trio within managed to utilise the Magatsushi.

However, it was at that moment that the jewel burst into life. Even from where he was, Naraku had to throw his hands up to block out the radiance from the jewel's glow. A moment later, it vanished and the suddenly light-deprived sky cloaked the view in an almost impenetrable gloom. Frowning, Naraku tried to blink the spots before his vision away while desperately trying to see what had happened. When it finally cleared, the hanyou's eyes widened in awe and delight. All that remained was a smoking crater and a single spark hovering over it.

"The jewel is mine," he murmured in glee and at that moment, Kagura and the swarm attacked.

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_Within the Forest of Despair_

_Night_

Sesshoumaru had barely enough time to escape the deadly blast that ripped through a large section of the forest. Unfortunately, he had lost almost half his troops in the process. Growling low in his throat in anger, he blinked to get his eyesight back. After a few more seconds, he could make out a strange glow hovering over the large crater in the ground and he cautiously made his way towards it. From his peripheral vision, he picked out the embattled Northern lord also making his way to it. Summoning his youki, he felt himself airborne when his battle-trained senses warned him of danger. 

Turning to glance at his left, he saw a dark cloud approaching at an incredible speed. A moment later, he barely dodged a barrage of cutting attacks from a female sitting in a feather boat. _'This must be the female_ _Jaken mentioned_,' came the thought when he had to dodge another barrage of attacks. _'Damn bitch!'_ he snarled within as she drove him away from his intended target. He caught a glance at Daikuma as he fought off a swarm of low-grade youkai but the lord's earlier injuries from the blast had drained him of most of his strength.

Summoning his youki into a deadly whip at his fingertip, Sesshoumaru sliced it through the air causing the wind youkai to make an emergency landing. The whip also managed to eliminate several dozen youkai but their numbers were still too great. By now, the other lords and their surviving troops were engaged in battle with these youkai, thus leaving the Magatsushi alone. Quickly making his way to it and eliminating all youkai that got in his way, Sesshoumaru suddenly saw a strange individual cloaked in a baboon pelt heading straight for the jewel.

By now, the Magatsushi had stopped hovering and had come to rest on a small hill of dirt and debris. This made it easier for the baboon creature to snatch it up and Sesshoumaru knew that it would be a serious problem if it were to escape with it. Putting on a burst of speed, he leapt up readying his right hand for the Dokkasou to end the creature's existence. Unfortunately, just as he was about to swipe at it, he felt the blow from behind as Kagura's wind attack caught him. It knocked him off course and his armour broke. He smelt his blood seeping from the wounds but ignored the discomfort. Kagura swiftly launched a series of attacks forcing Sesshoumaru away from the baboon figure much to the annoyance of the taiyoukai. 

However, Daikuma had managed to find an extra store of energy and had destroyed most of the bothersome swarm. Snarling in fury, the bear youkai barrelled towards the baboon figure that now had the Magatsushi in its grasp. Casting a brief glance towards the bear youkai, the creature quickly turned tail and dashed off with its prize. The bear youkai gave no thought to the battle behind but quickly followed after. Sesshoumaru, in the meantime, had received a few more injuries from Kagura's wind attacks and was forced into having to deal with the swarming youkai.

As Lord Akira fought alongside his remaining troops, he began to notice something strange happening to the youkai that made up the infantry. They were hesitating and seemed unsure about what they were doing. A few minutes later, they apparently made up their minds and to the Southern lord's horror, began to attack their own comrades.

"Look out!" he yelled just as one of his captains took a fatal blow to the head. "The youkai are turning! All troops pull back and re-group!"

The call caused a form of panic to spread as the higher youkai attempted to push back the attacks from their subordinates. By now, the phenomenon had spread throughout the battlefield and the remaining armies of the Four Lords were pressed together against a wall of deadly youkai. The situation was dire and Lord Honouryuu decided to transform into his true shape to reduce the odds in their favour. A few seconds later, a magnificent fire-red dragon towered over its troops and breathed out a powerful jet of flame that tore through the attacking swarm.

As the jet of flame roared out, it caused the swarm to spread out in order to avoid the brunt of the attack. Kagura and Sesshoumaru were almost caught in the blast but managed to avoid it. Returning to his whip, Sesshoumaru managed to throw the wind youkai off once more by causing her to crash heavily into the ground. Without waiting to see if she had died, Sesshoumaru took off after Daikuma and the baboon pelt creature. His wounds were beginning to throb but Sesshoumaru paid them no mind. He needed to get to Daikuma and the Magatsushi before something else happened.

Clearing the rise, he saw Daikuma tackle the creature to the ground. Tearing at the fur pelt, the Northern lord was a towering figure of rage. As he levelled the final strike, a sudden gust of wind blew him off the creature. Swooping down in her feather boat, a very battered Kagura grasped the arm of the creature and yanked him onboard. Sparing a glance at the inu youkai swiftly making his way towards her, Kagura understood the meaning of fear from another level. In that brief space of time, the threat of Naraku destroying her heart held little meaning than the painful death promised within livid amber-red eyes.

Forcing another blast at the inu youkai with her fan, she swiftly made her way back towards Naraku's Palace hoping that the youkai swarm would detain the Western lord long enough for her to escape. Beside her, the baboon pelt had sagged and dust trailed from its edges. Kicking the thing over the side in disgust, Kagura grabbed at the softly glowing jewel and cursed at her tortuous night.

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_Author's Notes: An action-packed chapter concluded. No doubt it seemed boring in the beginning but I had to include a little more background info on the characters. Aside from that, this chapter took its own_ _sweet time in the making. My fault for not being too pro-active in sitting down to type it out. Either way, it's finally done. There will be one more chapter to this Flashback scene before we get down to the real business that is Kag and Sess. I hope to finish with this arc soon, as I want to move on into the actual point of the story. I hope that I'll find more inspiration to help me out because I feel like I'm starting to push it. I really want to complete this story so please leave me some motivational messages in the box below? Thanks!_

_Till the next time, ja mata ne!_


	19. Flashback: Within the Binds of Fate 3

_Disclaimers: I own all the unknown characters in this fic. Which really isn't a lot._

_Thank you to all who've left something behind in the reviews section and with many apologies for the painfully slow update. I'm glad that the Flashback series has now come to its conclusion and that the story can proceed in the normal timeline. [No doubt most of you feel this way too, eh? ] And yes, even more Sesshie butt-kicking action in this chapter. And as for when Kagome re-appears after a protracted absence? Heh, read on and find out…_

_Bern._

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**Chapter 17: _Flashback_ - Within the Binds of Fate (Part 3)**

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_Sesshoumaru's camp,_

_Earlier in the evening_

"Jaken," came the measured voice of Sesshoumaru as he stood by his desk. "I want you to deliver an urgent message for me to the swordsmith Toutousai."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," came the reply and the retainer stepped up to receive the small scroll. Tucking it into the voluminous sleeve of his haori, Jaken bowed low and waited for further instructions.

"Make sure that Toutousai understands the message that he is to meet with me once the battle is over. If there are any delays, you are to make your way to the Western Fortress until my arrival. Is this clear?" Sesshoumaru said as he looked down at the toad youkai.

"This humble one will endeavour to accomplish his task, Sesshoumaru-sama," was the eloquent response and the little youkai made to leave.

However, before he made it out of the tent, Toki bustled up to follow him. Before Jaken could protest, Toki bowed towards her lord and shook her head at the retainer. Sesshoumaru gave them a curt nod dismissing them. After they had cleared the grounds, Jaken turned to glare at the female. Toki merely gave a snort and moved off faster. Squawking in annoyance, Jaken quickly picked up his pace.

"Why are you following, wench?" came the rude question before Jaken suddenly found himself eating dirt. Toki shook her hand to cool the sting from the slap she had given the retainer.

"Call me 'wench' one more time, Jaken, and I'll really make the next smack count!" came the fierce reply. "Sesshoumaru-sama is aware that I am an acquaintance of Master Toutousai and had served him for a short while during his more intensive sword-making days. If nothing else, I may be the one to ensure that Master Toutousai answers Sesshoumaru-sama's missive."

Jaken's eyes bugged slightly at Toki's revelation but held his tongue. If Sesshoumaru had deemed that the serving maid accompany him on his mission, then so be it. No one questioned the Western lord's orders unless they had a very good reason or felt tired of living. Either way, Toki was relatively pleasant company and she was skilled at cooking. Glancing at the youkai female once more, Jaken realised that this journey could perhaps be a little more pleasant.

After an hour's travelling, they were shocked to feel the earth tremble below their feet and a blinding light piercing the night sky. Having thrown themselves to the ground, the two youkai were shocked as they heard what sounded like a howling roar in the air above them. Looking up, they witnessed the incredible sight of a huge mass of swarming youkai heading straight towards the battlefield. As they passed overhead, Jaken recognised the female in the feather boat that appeared to be leading the charge. Luckily for them, the swarming youkai were intent on their destination and after what seemed like an eternity of crouching in the grass, the swarm passed by.

"Oh Jaken-san!" Toki whispered in fright. "You don't suppose something went wrong, do you?"

Pulling himself together, Jaken quickly silenced the trembling maid. "Do you believe that Sesshoumaru-sama could be so easily defeated? He possesses Tessaiga - the supreme blade of destruction. Those things will see death before they even manage to touch a hair on his lordship's head!"

Looking up at the proudly erect retainer, Toki could not help but to share the same belief that their lord would emerge triumphant. That strange light in the sky could have meant that the Magatsushi had been destroyed, and the youkai swarm were merely minions who had arrived too late to save their dark miko mistress. Toki smiled with hope and quickly followed Jaken as he continued northwards where Toutousai made his home.

_Naraku's Palace_

The dark-haired hanyou chortled with glee when he saw Kagura rescue his kugutsu from the tearing claws of Daikuma. He could barely see Sesshoumaru but the sheer panic on Kagura's face made the impending attack from the inu youkai lord all too obvious. Daikuma was forgotten as Naraku watched the final piece of his elaborate scheme fall into place. After all that plotting and scheming, the goal was within sight and he was now watching the fruits of his labour unfolding.

As Sesshoumaru made his way towards the Magatsushi and Kagura, a powerful blast managed to catch the inu youkai by surprise. Barely avoiding the brunt of it, Sesshoumaru was now effective out of the equation for the moment. But a moment was all Kagura needed to summon the last of her strength to speed her feather boat away from the new battle about to unfold beneath her.

Pausing a moment to quickly take in the sight of the other players in the delightful chess game he had created, Naraku noted the badly injured bear youkai attempting to stand. Baring his teeth in delight at the Northern lord's suffering, Naraku allowed himself a small chuckle of delight. Daikuma would live for a while longer. He, Naraku, had plans for the impetuous bear youkai and would relish the time when it came for him to implement it.

The mirror shifted focus once more to that of the Southern and Eastern lords in the remains of the clearing. Honouryuu was annihilating the invading youkai, but given his age and general lack of strength, was tiring. Akira, on the other hand, was dodging among the various stray youkai and those that had been corrupted by the Magatsushi by culling them with deadly accuracy. His troops had rallied around him and they were swiftly turning the tide in their favour.

Naraku watched them with detached interest for a short while. Like Daikuma, they too would receive their just desserts. Honouryuu's firepower was magnificent but like most dragons of his age and calibre, it could not be sustained for overly long periods of time. In the end, Honouryuu had to rely on his troops and his own skills to finish off the few remaining traitors and low-grade youkai. Naraku smirked slightly as he indulged in a brief fantasy of usurping the dragon's fire magic.

But all those players could wait their turn. There was only one piece on Naraku's chessboard that had to be dealt with, and by the looks of things he did not have long to wait. It was almost time for checkmate.

_On the battlefield_

The blood had deeply stained the white silk of his haori but it barely registered in his mind. At this moment, Sesshoumaru was standing on a small incline glaring murder at the latest enemy to get in his way. The branches overhead threw interesting shadows across the man's face but it did not deprive the taiyoukai from staring into the face of his nemesis. Held in the man's hand, a sword of unnatural power and evil glowed with a strange crackling energy that almost made the fine hairs on his neck and arms bristle. Sesshoumaru knew that this was one that he should not take lightly as evidenced by the fairly deep wound he suffered across his left shoulder. His thick tail had managed to absorb some of the blast but even then it had suffered some injury. And Sesshoumaru detested getting his tail bloodied for any reason whatsoever.

The man stepped out into the moonlight and the expression he had on was something between faint surprise and curiosity. He could be considered handsome in human terms with broad shoulders and long wavy hair that fell past his neck. He cocked his head to one side and regarded the taiyoukai with a small smile. Sesshoumaru could feel a growl at the back of his throat itching to come out but he held back. Not even a minute of meeting this man and he hated him on sight.

"It seems like a pleasant evening, does it not?" came the conversational tone. "Really, it's too nice a night to be wasted on such barbaric activity."

"I have nothing to say to you, human," came the cold response as Sesshoumaru took his battle position.

"My name is Musou," came the almost cheerful reply. "You must be Sesshoumaru, yes? I've been waiting to kill you."

If Sesshoumaru were to show any expression, he would have most likely face-faulted at the obvious statement. The human was either too cocky for his own good or he held something more that could warrant such a blatant remark. And judging from that strange sword he held, Sesshoumaru was not going to underestimate this new foe. No doubt, Naraku had deliberately planned to use this Musou as his trump card for the finale. As much as he hated to admit it, Sesshoumaru had to acknowledge Naraku's impeccable manipulation of the events that transpired, the bastard.

"I, Sesshoumaru, will not allow a lowly creature as yourself to defeat the Lord of the Western Lands," came the icy reply.

"Then we'll just have to see how it goes, right?" Musou answered before swinging his blade at the inu youkai.

A blast of raw energy streaked through the air, tearing up the ground beneath it and forcing Sesshoumaru to move out of the way. Using his superior speed, the taiyoukai approached from the side to level his Dokkasou when the man swung the blade upwards to intercept the poison-coated hand. Sesshoumaru felt the blade slice through his wrist but managed to pull back before it could be severed. Leaping back a few dozen metres, Sesshoumaru instinctively brought up his injured hand and lapped at the wound to soothe it.

Musou watched the youkai lord contemplate the situation and gave his enigmatic smile. Narrowing his eyes in anger, Sesshoumaru restrained his primal urge to transform and bite the foul human in two. The sword wound was causing his right hand to throb and that made him wonder if there had been poison in the blade. Willing his youki to speed up the healing to his hand, Sesshoumaru pondered the human before him. There was something about the man that was familiar but he could not pin it down. It was only when he lapped at his wound once more, that he realised the connection. This Musou was in some way related to that spider youkai he had fought a few months back!

"You are a spawn of Naraku," Sesshoumaru said as he eyed the man in a new light. The urge to rip the bastard was starting to tug harder at his instincts.

Musou frowned slightly and shook his head. "I know of no Naraku. All I know is I want to kill you. There's something about you that is seriously pissing me off," Musou paused a moment as though trying to recall a faint memory that eluded him. Returning his gaze back to the glowering taiyoukai, he shrugged his shoulders lightly as though it was unimportant. "Even though I don't remember why, I'll just go ahead. I really don't like you at all."

After saying this, the man moved forward and raised his sword to attack. Sesshoumaru swiftly drew out Tessaiga to block the blow causing crackles of energy to run up and down the locked blades. The untransformed blade managed to hold off the first blow but Sesshoumaru was unsure if it could withstand the next one. The reverberations along the blade strained his still weakened wrist and Sesshoumaru opted to change hands for the duration.

"Hmm, your sword looks rather worse for wear, Sesshoumaru," came Musou's voice. "I don't think it'll stand up to my Toukijin. You should really take care of your belongings."

Sesshoumaru felt his growl leak out. The man's eyes widened a little at the sound before flashing his irritating smile once more. Gripping Tessaiga in his left hand, Sesshoumaru struggled to impose the calm that was his trademark response to highly stressful situations. As he continued to hold Tessaiga, his thoughts began to wander towards the one who had asked him to believe in its power. A face that he had spent so many nights trying to forget now blazed across his mind and he felt the answering throb in the sword. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the legendary blade lengthen and the dulled edge regain its sharpness.

"Kagome…" came the soft whisper that held within it an unspoken thanks. Locking eyes with the now surprised man, Sesshoumaru suddenly charged for the killing blow.

Musou barely managed to parry the blow and the clash of the two blades echoed through the night. For timeless minutes, the two combatants exchanged blows that would have otherwise eliminated armies but neither side appeared to give. Sparks crackled as the blades periodically locked and the raw energy surrounding the two fighters swirled and whipped at their clothing and hair. It soon became a desperate fight as Musou began to swing Toukijin with greater strength, forcing Sesshoumaru back.

Managing to drive the taiyoukai back, Musou threw a powerful energy blast that the youkai lord could not escape. It tore into Sesshoumaru and only Tessaiga managed to block off enough that prevented the taiyoukai from being mortally wounded. Gasping in pain and shock, Sesshoumaru barely managed to raise Tessaiga as Musou's overhead strike slammed into the blade. In that split second, it seemed that time had slowed to a heartbeat. Then before his shocked eyes, Tessaiga's blade cracked and gave way. Musou's Toukijin still continued its downward plunge when Sesshoumaru felt Tenseiga's hard pulse at his side.

By now, time had speeded up once more and Sesshoumaru felt Toukijin's blade pierce through his remaining armour and into his flesh. But the pain was barely felt as Tenseiga's pulse now raced throughout his body and burst through him. Sesshoumaru had no idea what was happening although what he did know was that there was no more pain. A comforting warmth surrounded his battered body and the youkai lord felt an overwhelming need to allow his eyes to close in rest.

Musou watched in surprise and annoyance as Sesshoumaru was enveloped in a strange blue light. He tried to release another blast of energy from Toukijin but before he could, the blue light had shot off into the heartlands of the Western territories. Frowning, Musou watched as it disappeared into the distance before turning to walk off into the forest. If Sesshoumaru were heading westwards, then he too would follow. Only this time, he would make sure that the Western lord would not get the same lucky break he had just now.

_Higurashi shrine, Tokyo_

_Present day_

Sesshoumaru woke up in agony when he heard a noise. He was lying on a cold dirt floor and strange scents assaulted his sensitive nose. He could smell the thick odour of his blood and some of his deeper wounds were still bleeding. The warmth that had been surrounding him was now gone and Sesshoumaru wondered if he had really ended up in hell. It certainly felt and looked like it. Trying to sit up, he could not suppress a low groan from escaping. It was at that moment that he sensed it. Someone was above him!

His instincts kicked in and despite the agonising pain, Sesshoumaru leapt up to the top of the deep shaft. A familiar, barely forgotten scent flooded his senses and he saw _her_ trying to scramble away. Without thinking, Sesshoumaru chased after Kagome as she made for the opening, and his hand grabbed her shoulder. A piercing shriek filled the narrow space causing his ears to ring from the noise. Clamping the other hand over her mouth, he pulled the resisting bundle of flesh against him.

For a brief moment, Sesshoumaru breathed in her scent and savoured the feeling of holding her in his arms. But as she continued to struggle, it aggravated his more serious injuries. Deciding to end it, he brought his lips close to her ear and murmured within.

"And hello to you too, Kagome…"

_Author's Notes: Yes! It's finally completed! ::dances about as Sess reluctantly waves a 'Victory' flag in the background:: After so long plotting and pondering and brooding, it's finally done!!! sniffles More action and more evil plotting involved too. Now, I can take a short break and post the Side Story I've been going on about since Chapter 11 or so. I need time to work out more details regarding the main story plot so please bear with me on this._

_I know Musou is not really in character but that is because I'm still trying to figure him out. If he seems a little strange here, just take it as him being new to the scene and all. If you know of the canon sequence, Musou has a fixation on Kikyo and later Kagome. I'll be working that in later once I solve a few continuity problems and other characters' involvements. If you've noticed, I've only mentioned Sango and Miroku in the beginning of the Flashback sequence. I hope to involve them a little more in upcoming chapters._

_The second part of the story is almost over. The third part should be the final one and I need time to sort out the ideas I have jotted down. After all, I don't want to spoil all my hard work with a tacky, cliché ending so I'll be taking some time out on the story after the second part. Don't worry, I have no intention of quitting especially now that the story is approaching its climax. But that's not to say I don't need a little C&C to guide and motivate me along._

_Until the next chapter, ja mata ne!_


	20. Reminiscence of Hearth and Home

_Hi all! Yes, it's been quite a long time since I've updated and I've got no excuse beyond the fact that work sapped all my energy to continue with this fic. Add to it a little bit of writer's block, and developing interests in other titles [Kyou Kara Maou, Samurai 7, Samurai Champloo, Gungrave and re-watching Fruits Basket], pretty much led to a sudden deficiency in the writing. Thankfully, I have had some new ideas popping up and I just need to see how to work them into the fic. Nope, I haven't given up yet!_

_PS: Just to remind readers – This fic is **derived** from canon [anime and manga] but **not** following actual canon itself. So if you've wondered why Musou has Toukijin, it is my creative liberties in writing this fic to suit my story. Frankly speaking, I would have no idea what to do with Goshinki and besides, it'll be such a pointless battle since Sess possesses Tessaiga here._

_Bern. [24/7/2004]_

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**Chapter 18: Reminiscence of Hearth and Home**

_Higurashi House, Tokyo_

_Early morning_

He left his eyes closed and instead focused on the sounds and scents around him. The strongest scent was that of the girl he had found again after all those months of wondering. Her scent permeated the room he was lying in and it served to soothe his weary body and soul. Sesshoumaru had tried to refuse himself from allowing such sentimentality but it was doing little good. It had been a long time since he felt such comfort even if his body was still incredibly sore and bruised. Outside, he could hear the chirping and twittering of the birds that lived on the grounds of the shrine further adding to the tranquillity of the place.

"Sooooutaaaa!!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes flew open and he winced from the shrill yell outside the room. It seemed that the early morning peace would quickly fade into a memory as he heard the thundering of footsteps past his door. A few seconds later, he heard the answering squeal from the young boy as he attempted to escape his sister's wrath. A loud scuffling broke out before a piercing wail resounded from the small boy.

"I didn't mean to!" came the loud cry and a thump was heard. Another sputtering sob was heard and Sesshoumaru tensed for the invariable crying that was about to happen. Instead, Kagome's loud complaints drowned out the sniffling.

"If you didn't mean to then why am I going to be late for school? I told you to put them back after using so that I can just pack it in," came the annoyed reply. "Now I can't find half of them since Buyo's probably carried them off somewhere!"

"Children, please," came the soothing voice of their mother. "You'll wake our guest with your shouting. Really Kagome, I thought you would know better than to shout at your brother so early in the morning."

"I'm sorry, Mama," came the repentant chorus. And silence returned. At least, what could be considered as silence after the boisterous chaos from a moment ago. A minute later, a soft knock sounded and the door opened. An embarrassed and contrite pair of siblings stood there and Kagome stuttered an apology. Souta's eyes were teary but he managed a bow instead. Mrs Higurashi smiled gently at him over their heads before shooing the two of them off.

"I hope you'll excuse them, Sesshoumaru-san," she said. "It seems that they always make a morning ritual of arguing before they head off for school. I hope the noise didn't wake you from your rest." She nodded once more and gently closed the door behind her.

Sesshoumaru remained on the bed, his eyes now wide open and wondering if he should chance his own world than to remain in Kagome's. It looked like it was going to be a long convalescence…

* * *

_Three days previously,_

Kagome felt her heart lurch at the sound of his voice and instantly stilled. He continued to hold her tightly within his arms, his breathing now heavier, almost ragged. She felt a nervousness blossoming in the pit of her stomach and wondered why he refused to release her. After all, had he not made it clear several times in the past that her presence was not the most welcoming thing on the planet to him? But here he was, in her world and time, embracing her tightly as though he was afraid she would disappear if he were to let go. Unconsciously, Kagome began to respond to it and her body relaxed in the closeness. That is, until she felt him beginning to pull her down.

"Sesshoumaru," she began, struggling to maintain standing against the increasing weight resistance. "Sesshoumaru, you're leaning too heavily. I can't support you!"

Through the fog in his mind, Sesshoumaru could feel the weakening of his strength and coupled with the soft, soothing comfort of the girl's scent, it made it that much harder to remain conscious. Forcing back the dizziness, he pushed to regain his footing, only to groan as the open wounds throbbed painfully under the sudden strain. He could see that Kagome had managed to turn around and her wide-open eyes taking in the severity of his condition. Almost growling at the indignity of appearing so frail and needy, he tried to push away from the support she provided. It was a big mistake.

Kagome gave a small cry when Sesshoumaru began to slump backwards, his eyes rolling up into his head as his knees crumpled. Instinctively reaching out, Kagome grabbed the bloodstained haori, pulling him into her arms to prevent his head from meeting the shrine's flagstones. His weight pressed into her forcing her down to her knees but she bore it as she tried to ascertain his consciousness. Mindful of his sensitive hearing, she whispered his name several times but only shallow rasping breaths answered her worried pleas. As Kagome's mind frantically raced at the things to do, she did not hear the swiftly approaching footsteps until her mother's voice called out.

"Kagome, what happened? Who is this man?" Mrs Higurashi began as she took in the bleeding wounds and bruises. As she looked harder, her eyes widened at the strange markings and in particular the pointed ears and thick furry boa. "Kagome, is this the man, um, youkai that looked after you when you disappeared into the well?"

Still cradling the seemingly unconscious taiyoukai, Kagome nodded as her eyes began to tear. "Oh Mama," her voice wavered, "I-I don't know what happened but he's very badly hurt. What can we do?"

Mrs Higurashi's brow furrowed in consideration and she made a decision. The taiyoukai had taken her daughter in and saved her on more than one occasion during the time she was in his world; he therefore deserved the same in return at the very least. Stooping down, Mrs Higurashi told Kagome to help support Sesshoumaru's left side while she supported his right. In a concerted effort of heaving and pulling, they managed to drag him into the house and were about to place him on the couch, when Sesshoumaru's eyes fluttered open.

"Who--" he muttered as he took in the older woman that bore a resemblance to Kagome. "Where am I?" He pushed himself to stand up but the ground kept tilting. His eyesight kept blurring and the strange place with its overpowering scents he was in discomfited him further.

"Sesshoumaru-san," Mrs Higurashi introduced herself, "I'm Kagome's mother and I would like to return the favour of caring for my daughter while she was in your world. Please accept my help as repayment for all you've done." She bowed low to the taiyoukai, in deference to him.

Gaping at her mother's courteous behaviour, Kagome was also taken aback by Sesshoumaru's polite nod of acceptance. The older woman smiled happily and asked if he could assist them in taking him upstairs. Together, the three of them made their way to the guestroom when Sesshoumaru paused before Kagome's door. His vision was fading and black spots were once more dancing before him. Inclining his head towards Kagome's room, he took in a deep breath as the door was quickly opened.

After the two females guided him to the bed, the youkai lord almost groaned in bliss of finally resting on a soft surface. The scent of Kagome washed through and about him before he finally allowed the blackness to sweep him away.

* * *

He stood on the top of the cliff, his eyes trained on the lone figure before him. The wind had picked up and it caused the sleeves and hair of the man to dance in its path. Sesshoumaru felt unsure of himself, there was something so lost about him that it tugged deep at his soul. The moon had begun to rise towards its zenith and now washed over the Western Lands with its silver-gold light. The figure continued its vigil as though waiting for something or someone. Finally, after what seemed like hours or perhaps mere moments, his voice broke through the heavy silence.

"Tell me, Sesshoumaru," came the deep, pain-filled baritone. "Have you found someone to protect with your life? Someone who demanded nothing less than your soul but to whom you would willingly give yet expecting nothing in return?"

Sesshoumaru wanted to answer the question but he had none to give. His head lowered a little, as the conflict within him grew at the question's meaning. How could he sacrifice himself so easily with nothing to gain in return? What could be so important that his very own father was succumbing to it? His mother's death had broke the great youkai's heart once before; now it was the death of a human princess that shattered the fragile pieces once more, now beyond all hope of mending. Sesshoumaru felt his claws dig into the palms of his hands as he recalled the tragic day when his stepmother had been found dead. From then on, his father had given up all hope on living.

"My time has come," the great lord spoke once more. "And now it is time for you to take my place as the new Lord of these lands."

"Father," Sesshoumaru finally broke his silence. "Please, Father, I'm not ready…"

The great youkai lord turned to face his only son and sole heir to his legacy. Although he looked like a man barely touching forty, his eyes held the knowledge of a thousand winters. He took in the visage of the younger youkai and a small, sad smile crossed his features. Taking in a short breath, he turned once more to stare into the infinite distance. Behind him, Sesshoumaru struggled to contain the hurt and anger that threatened to overwhelm him. As he continued to look, it appeared that the taiyoukai lord was fading into the moonlight, his shadow barely lingering before it vanished completely.

The moonlit sky seemed to merge into a liquid swirl as Sesshoumaru continued to stare at where his father had stood moments before. His hand reached up to touch his face and came away damp with a strange liquid he thought he had long forgotten existed. As the moon continued its silent trek across the midnight sky, the new Lord of the Western Lands transformed into his true inu youkai self and howled its mournful lament throughout the land. And through it all, the hidden heart of him cried out its forever unanswered questions.

_'Why, Father? How could you leave me here alone? Am I not worthy enough to earn your devotion too? Is this Sesshoumaru truly that undeserving of your love?'_

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Another chapter down and now we move on to what is happening in the Sengoku Jidai. So what possessed me to write an angsty, melodramatic piece like this? I blame it on the premise of the **Inuyasha Movie 3: Swords of an Honourable Ruler **for the angsty bit. The minute I heard that there was going to be a movie on the background of the half-brothers, I knew that it would be a perfect means of tying in some of the loose threads that have been fluttering about. After all, I'm really too lazy to write an 'original' AU story. Heh…_

_Right, before you guys slam me for saying that Sess is really OOC here, let me just remind you that we are in an alternate reality fic. In this case, Sess became the new lord at an age that most would consider late puphood, ie: a teenager. Although he had been preparing for the role, it does not automatically mean that he was truly ready for it. Plus the fact that his father seemed to have lost his passion for life after Inuyasha's mother died, further adds to the complication. **I'm not following canon; I'm merely utilising aspects of it for my story, so please bear this in mind.** [I know it's a repeat of what I said above; just wanted to get the point across again.]_

_I also feel that although Sess's father cared for his son, he was also expecting a little too much out of the guy. I've played it in such a way that it seems that he had just died like that but in actual fact, the real death is different. I just made it into a dream sequence of sorts to play upon Sess's insecurities and of the feelings he would have had when his father passed away, thus forcing him into the role of the Western Lord. I'll eventually develop a better scenario of what happened but only much later. There are other things that need to be plotted out first, namely Naraku and his nasty plans. So until the next posting, ja mata ne!_


	21. The Ties that Entwine

_Disclaimer: I can only afford to own a really gorgeous Sesshy doll. But, I'll trade it for the real one anytime!_

_Once more, a big "Thank you!" to all of you who have been supporting this story. It's still continuing so don't worry; just that it'll be a little slow in unfolding._

_Bern._

* * *

**Chapter 19: The Ties That Entwine**

_Naraku's Palace_

Unlike Musou, Naraku cursed and swore at the sudden disappearance of the youkai lord. It had been so close to the fulfilment of his schemes but it seemed that fate had cheated him of his assured success once more. The sole consolation was the Magatsushi that was winging its way towards him but even so, a small part of him knew that as long as Sesshoumaru remained alive, he would not be able to exert full control over the Four Lands.

Musou had managed to force the taiyoukai back and had been delivering the final blow when some strange power whisked Sesshoumaru towards the heart of the Western Lands. Wondering if it may be the Western Lord's stronghold, Naraku stroked his chin in contemplation. If it were true, he would have to consolidate his forces with the help of the Magatsushi before getting Kagura to lead the assault on the Western Fortress. But to do that, he would have to take out the other players in the field first.

Softly chuckling to himself, Naraku pushed the thought of Sesshoumaru's sudden departure as merely a setback that would be taken care of eventually. After all, the best way to defeat that arrogant inu youkai was to strip him of everything he had in terms of support and resources. Sesshoumaru would never be humbled as much as Naraku hoped for it to happen but he could be eliminated. And that was all that mattered to the hanyou.

"You may have escaped me for now, Sesshoumaru," Naraku murmured as he stared into Kanna's mirror. "But your death is still mine to claim."

_Battlefield at the Forest of Despair,_

Daikuma lumbered back to the remains of his army and took in the scene of devastation with faint disbelief on his face. By now, Naraku's swarm had retreated and the remaining survivors from the various armies were tending to the wounded. Lord Honouryuu was resting on a boulder, his chest heaving slightly from the earlier effort of destroying the enemy swarm. Lord Akira was mustering what was left of their armies and was busy receiving and sending various reports and orders out. As Daikuma made his way into the makeshift camp, Lord Akira spotted him and hurried over.

"How fare you, Lord Daikuma?" came the concerned query and the black bear slowly waved a paw in a dismissive manner.

"I'll live," he replied as he tugged at what remained of his massive breastplate. "I'm concerned for Lord Sesshoumaru though. He should have made his way back with the Magatsushi by now. Has anyone seen him?"

Akira frowned as he shook his head. Sesshoumaru was a thorough individual and would no doubt make sure that his enemy was dead before returning from the battlefield. Something was not right with this lateness. Lord Honouryuu made his way towards the other two lords and his clawed hands twitched in a nervous manner. As typical of the dragon lord, he voiced the thought that was foremost on his mind regarding Sesshoumaru's absence.

"You do not suppose the Magatsushi corrupted him, do you?" was the anxious question.

The other two lords glared at the dragon but in their hearts, they too could not help but wonder if it was true. If so, then their lives would not be long in living. Sesshoumaru was a deadly combatant and it was silently acknowledged amongst the other three that if he wanted to, the Four Lands could easily come under his dominion. But so far, the inu youkai lord had shown no interest in the lands beyond his territories and they were grateful for that. But if the Magatsushi were to have conquered his soul...

"I believe Lord Sesshoumaru is more than capable in overcoming the effects of that accursed jewel," Akira spoke out. "We had better send scouts to search for the Western Lord in case he may have been injured and needs assistance."

"I agree," Daikuma growled as he raised a paw to hail a passing soldier.

The said soldier quickly returned with another soldier from Sesshoumaru's army, and Daikuma ordered for a small group to search for the presence of their lord and master. The group quickly moved out and the remaining lords shared a thoughtful, if uneasy silence. It was hard to believe the possibility of Sesshoumaru's fall but until the group brought back the body or some proof of his death, the three lords could only hope that he was still alive.

_'I hope for all our sakes that you are still breathing, Sesshoumaru,'_ came Lord Akira's fervent prayer. _'Something tells me that our own destinies are tightly entwined with yours...'_

__

_Some distance from the Forest of Despair_

Miroku, Sango and Kirara had started at the sudden bright light that pierced the night sky overhead. There was a faint tremor beneath their feet that followed closely behind it and the monk gripped his staff tightly. He could feel the massive psychic vibrations rolling over his highly attuned spiritual senses and the residual effects directly after almost choked him with its noxious taint. He breathed deeply to centre himself when he felt Sango's hand gripping his shoulder. Blinking in surprise at the exterminator's touch, he took in the worried frown on her face.

"You were about to fall over, houshi-sama," she said as she released him. "What was that?"

Looking into the distance where the light had originated, Miroku felt his lips thin in apprehension. There was something deeply disturbing about that power blast and its residual evil could still be felt even now. He was about to answer Sango's question when Kirara growled loudly and transformed. Sango quickly readied Hiraikotsu for battle and Miroku searched for the enemy, his senses still scrambled from the earlier psychic surge.

The oni appeared out of the woods to their right and fixed its crazed eyes on them. It seemed as though it had lost its mind and roared long and loud into the night sky before charging them. Dodging out of the way, Sango released Hiraikotsu and the huge bone boomerang slammed into the oni's back forcing it to stumble forward. Reaching out to catch its rebound, she prepared to launch it when the oni slammed its fist into a tree by the side.

The force splintered the wood and the trunk began to tilt in her direction forcing Sango to run out of its path. Kirara swiftly dashed after her and managed to grab the exterminator before the branches caught her in their descent. Miroku had managed to recover his bearings and quickly yelled for Sango and Kirara to get behind him. With an ease born of practice, the rosary over his Kazaana was removed and the void released to begin its deadly suction.

The oni howled in fury as the air trembled and swirled about it, pulling it towards the dark void in the monk's hand. Attempting to scramble out of the increasing suction, it pulled at the various trees and branches as it began to slide backwards into the void. It soon lost its grip and fell back with its feet off the ground. The power of the Kazaana caught it within its deadly vacuum, and a few seconds later Miroku was swiftly binding the rosary about his cursed hand.

Sango and Kirara stepped out from behind the monk and silently took in the damage that the oni and the Kazaana had wrecked on their campsite. Exchanging glances, Sango shrugged and mounted Kirara. Miroku climbed up behind her and laid his staff across her waist as support. With Kirara leaping up into the air, the trio made their way towards the strange disturbance from earlier. As they travelled to their destination, Miroku could not help but wonder if the power he felt could be related in some way to that girl they had met travelling in the company of the deadly Western lord.

Shaking his head slightly at the thought, he doubted that the power she held could have been so terribly corrupted as to almost be a spiritual pollution. The power held death within its source and it would take a form of absolute defilement to achieve it. No, there was something more this than met the eye and in his heart there was only one answer to that - Naraku.

_'It would seem that the time for facing that foul creature is near_,' Miroku thought as his hands unconsciously tightened about his staff. Unknown to him, Sango herself was pondering the same thought. However, hers was a lot more bloodthirsty and a burning eagerness for revenge filled her mind at ensuring Naraku's death.

Kirara flew onwards, her instincts guiding her towards the source of the disturbance. She allowed a small growl to escape as she picked up on the moods of her riders. It looked like the time to battle was near and the fire-cat was more than ready to join in.

_Meanwhile..._

Kagura slowed her feather boat and turned to look at the fight that was happening behind her from a safe distance. Her heart had begun to calm from its earlier frantic pace and she allowed a small smirk to grace her lips. With her superb eyesight, she watched as Sesshoumaru clashed blades repeatedly with another of Naraku's spawn whose name eluded her. In her hand, the Magatsushi glowed softly as though sated from its earlier indulgence. She briefly eyed the thing before turning to look at the fight once more.

From her vantage point, she was undecided as to the winner although she had to grudgingly give credit to the man challenging the taiyoukai. It seemed that with each 'child' he produced, Naraku was getting better at it. The thought caused a nagging worry at the back of the wind youkai's mind. If these 'children' proved more useful to Naraku than her, no doubt she would be either reabsorbed into the bastard's body or out rightly killed. Neither option held any appeal for her.

Kagura grimaced as she felt her bruises from the earlier fight with Sesshoumaru protest. As much as she secretly admired the haughty lord, he also scared the living daylights out of her. She shivered involuntarily at the memory of his glowing red eyes promising her a messy death when the fighters before her settled their score. She watched in half-horror, half-glee as Naraku's spawn shattered Sesshoumaru's blade and into his armour. But in that moment, a strange blue light that wrapped itself about the injured taiyoukai took her aback.

A second later, she was almost bowled over by the streaking sapphire light as it passed by her feather boat. She turned to follow its trail and noted the direction it took. Just before it seemed to disappear into the horizon, it dipped as though coming in to land. Making a mental note to explore the area at another time, she turned to see the man disappear into the trees below her. Frowning, she assumed that he was probably tracking Sesshoumaru's escape and a disdainful scowl crossed her face. Trust Naraku to be thorough in his schemes. She harboured a secret hope that the taiyoukai would recover in time to challenge the man and this time, hopefully win.

No matter how much she disliked Sesshoumaru, she knew that his very survival was tied to hers. For as long as he lived, Naraku's plans would never be able to succeed. And for that, Kagura was in some way almost grateful.

_'I hope this time Sesshoumaru will definitely kill you, Naraku_,' she cursed. _'And I will be the first to dance on your grave.'_

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Okay, this is cheating a little but dare I say that it allows you to see things from the different characters' perspectives? I hope so. I've also included more Sango and Miroku interaction as I had promised several chapters back. I'm trying to work them into the story a little more but I have no intention on making them take the spotlight away from Sess and Kag._

_I'm starting to move into the actual plot now but things are still going a little slower than I expected. Needless to say, I have to go back and read through my notes from when I first started to the present story's context. A bit of a bother but I have to get some of the more crucial details down or the story will wander off into the Sahara Desert and never be found again._

_I hope to hear from you regarding the chapter. After all, your comments and reviews keep me going, as I know there are readers out there who actually like this fic. I just hope that I won't disappoint you guys too much! Till the next chapter, ja mata ne!_

_PS: I'll be posting the Side Story to this fic shortly. It will focus strictly on Sess and Kag while he is recovering in Kag's world. I hope it'll appeal to the readers who have been wondering why there's been so little KagSess moments in the past chapters. See you soon!_


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